


Aftermath

by Julie_Horwitz



Series: Hell on Doom [2]
Category: Voltron Force
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2018-04-26 14:29:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 67,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5008351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Julie_Horwitz/pseuds/Julie_Horwitz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part two of my "Hell on Doom" duology.  The sequel to "Nightmare."  After her ordeal on Doom, Allura returns to Arus and begins her new life with Keith.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**

  
The following is a work of fanfiction. All characters and situations belonging to "Voltron: Defender of the Universe" and "Voltron Force" are copyrighted to World Event Productions. Everything else is of my own creation.  


**Author's Notes:**

  
Welcome to part two of my "Hell on Doom" duology, "Aftermath." This is the sequel to "Nightmare." It picks up exactly where the first story left off. It is strongly recommended that you have read "Nightmare" before you start this story.  
"Nightmare" and "Aftermath" were originally intended to be a single story called "Aftermath," but once the first half started getting bigger than I anticipated, I chose to divide it into two stories intead. "Aftermath" is a much lighter story than "Nightmare." The characters will have to deal with the consequences of the darker themes of the first story, but none of the uncomfortable material itself will be found within.  
I primarily use the information provided by the cartoons for character history. Anything not recognizable has been invented for the purposes of the story. Some information is borowed from the "Voltron: Year One" comic mini-series, written by Brandon Thomas and Craig Cermak.  
All questions and comments may be sent to me at my e-mail address. Please see my author profile for details.  
Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.

 

 

 

**_Aftermath_**  
by Julie Horwitz 

  
  
  


"Keith, wait," Allura spoke, stopping him as he started to lift her from the cot. 

"What is it?" he asked her, settling back down onto the mattress with her in his arms. 

They had just received word from Lance that they were five minutes out from Arus and Keith wanted them to be in the cockpit when he contacted Castle Control, so Allura herself could tell everyone that she was coming home.

"Can we...I mean, I'd like to stay in here another few minutes," she told him, touching his face. "Please. As much as I can't wait to be home, I'm not ready to leave this place just yet. Because once we do..." 

She didn't think she could find the words to explain how difficult it was going to be for her to go back to hiding her feelings for him after what they had shared. She had loved him in secret for so long and that love had only intensified after he had told her he loved her too. And then it had grown even stronger after he had made love to her...

Making love with Keith had been the most magical and amazing experience of her entire life. It had been so much more incredible than Lance had told her it would be. She'd never felt so loved and so special before. She couldn't wait until they could be together that way again.

Her only regret was that their lovemaking had been marred by pain. What Lotor had done to her... The medication could only dull her numerous injuries so much. (She hadn't told Keith, but the medicine had started to wear off about fifteen minutes ago. She'd kept the knowledge to herself because she didn't want to worry him. The last thing he needed to know was that every small movement of her body hurt her terribly.) But it hadn't been enough to tell Keith to stop.

She hadn't _wanted_ him to stop...

She had _needed_ him... 

He responded by kissing her deeply. 

"Everything's going to be fine, I promise," he gently assured her, pressing another kiss to her forehead. "To be honest, I don't foresee us having any time alone once we get back. In fact, I don't think _you'll_ have _any_ time alone period, my love. There are four people eagerly awaiting your arrival and two of them especially are not going to want to leave your side. Me and the guys are going to have to fight them tooth and nail just to even get a glimpse of you."

Allura giggled at the image of the Voltron Force fighting a battle against Nanny and Coran just to visit her.

Despite the pain, it felt so wonderful to laugh. It seemed like she hadn't had a reason to even smile in an eternity.

It was hard to believe that only hours ago she had been Lotor's prisoner... 

"I can tell you right now that Nanny is just going to move in to your room with you," Keith continued, kissing her again. "And anyone who wants to visit you will have to go through her. The area outside of your door is going to become a war zone. You're a very popular lady you know, Princess, and everyone is going to want to check on you constantly. But of course Nanny is going to try to chase us all away. And knowing her, she may very well succeed!"

She couldn't help but laugh out loud at that. Keith had a wonderful sense of humor that he so rarely showed. She loved his playful side and it was a shame he kept it hidden most of the time. She hoped that one day, after Doom had been completely defeated and Arus was finally at peace, he'd feel comfortable enough to stop being so serious all of the time.

"And with all of that craziness happening right by your door, I have a feeling that Doctor Gorma is going to have to schedule a mandatory 'no visitors allowed' time just so you can get some peace and quiet," he went on. "Rest is very important to your recovery. Though I'm not sure he'll have much luck getting Nanny to leave."

She laughed again, reveling in the silly direction the conversation had taken. It was so much fun and she was enjoying it immensely. How had he known she needed this? "Maybe if I make it a royal command?"

Keith snorted. "Yeah, good luck with that. Since when has Nanny listened to anyone?"

"Good point. But if Nanny doesn't have to leave, neither will you," she asserted. "I want you to be able to come and see me whenever you want." 

"And what reason would my princess give to allow me this privilege?"

"Umm, my commanding officer needs to constantly check on the status of my recovery?" she suggested. 

"Uh-huh. And why would I need that information several times a day?" 

"Umm... Give me a few minutes to come up with something believable," she shot back, loving the simple back and forth banter. 

"I don't think that's possible, but by all means, my love, go ahead and try."

"I will!" she declared, trying and failing not to laugh as she did so.

Keith laughed with her and her heart swelled at the sound.

How she loved this man!

"Of course," he said in a more sober tone after he had finally regained control, "once you start physical therapy, it's not going to matter anyway."

"Why's that?" she asked, wondering why he was being serious again. She knew nothing about physical therapy other than Keith telling her that she would need it.

"Because you, Princess, are going to want to do nothing more than sleep a lot between sessions," he informed her. "You've never gone through therapy before, so take it from someone who's had it a few times: it's not easy. It's both painful and exhausting. In the beginning, you will hate every second of it because it will hurt. But in the end, you'll know it was worth the discomfort."

Allura's elated mood vanished at the description. Physical therapy sounded so unpleasant! But if Keith said she needed it, she _needed_ it. Her love had no reason to lie to her, especially about something like this.

"I just want to walk again," she simply told him. "I'll do whatever it takes."

"I know you will, my love," he smiled at her. He pressed another gentle kiss to her forehead. "You-"

"You two better not be going at it again," Lance's voice interrupted over Keith's Voltcom. "You've got two minutes before we're in communications range of Arus. So if you don't want me blabbing about your, eh-hem, extracurricular activities to Coran and whoever else is in Control, I suggest you get your butts up here ASAP."

Keith rolled his eyes and Allura giggled as he raised his wrist. "We're on our way."

"Funny, that's _exactly_ what you said three minutes ago," Lance pointed out. "Yet, lo and behold, you're not here. Should I be wondering why?"

"We're coming, Lance," Keith pointedly told him and he ended the connection. Looking at Allura, he added, "He has no idea how lucky he is that he's my friend."

She laughed again.

Adjusting his hold on her, he stood up from the cot. "Ready?"

"Yes," she nodded, doing her best to ignore how much the gentle jostling was hurting her. "I'm ready.

"Let's go home." 

((())) 

Romelle slowed her worried pacing just enough to glance at the nearest time display. 

A quick mental calculation told her that it had been twelve hours since Keith, Sven, and the others had left for Doom.

Twelve hours since they'd left to rescue Allura.

Why weren't they back yet?

She resumed her previous speed as she continued to pace back and forth across Castle Control.

She needed for her cousin to be safely home back on Arus and out of the clutches of that...that _monster._

If poor Allura's experience was anything like her own...

She shuddered at the thought. 

The things Lotor had done to her... All while calling her by Allura's name. Fighting him had only made things worse. (He had enjoyed punishing her for her "misbehavior.") He truly was a monster in every sense of the word.

Death would be too good for him.

But he had never claimed to love her the way he "loved" Allura. He hadn't even treated her as "well" as one of his harem girls, keeping her locked inside a cell rather than in his part of the palace. (She was just the poor substitute, after all.) He'd come for her when he either wanted to use her body or to use her as bait for the Voltron Force. Thankfully, she'd spent more time in that cell than in his company. 

She doubted Allura would have been that lucky.

A sudden loud alarm from one of the consoles yanked her out of her private thoughts.

"Something's just entered Arusian space," Coran announced as he worked the controls in front of him. "I'm putting it on the monitor."

"Oh, please let it be my baby!" Nanny wailed from her place beside Coran.

Larmina was standing by her side, a hopeful expression on her face.

Romelle moved to join them as an image appeared on the large display.

Dead-center was the familiar shape of a Doom cargo ship.

And flying in escort formation around it were the Black, Yellow, and Green Lions.

"Thank all of the gods!" Nanny tearfully cried. "They did it! They got my princess!"

Romelle knew better than to point out that Nanny was getting ahead of herself. Just because the team was returning to Arus, it didn't mean that Allura was with them.

Or even worse, she was but in the most horrible condition imaginable.

As terrible as those two possibilities were, she was only being realistic. It was hard to be hopeful when she knew all too well that Allura hadn't been held as either a prisoner or slave. She was intended to be Lotor's queen. 

If his treatment of those he had no "feelings" for was any indication...

"They should be entering communications range momentarily," Coran informed the gathered group. "Let me open a-"

"Princess Allura to Castle Control," the much-missed voice broadcast over the speakers. "Please respond if you hear me. Princess Allura to Castle Control."

Nanny began to sob her relief and pulled Larmina into a tight embrace.

Romelle felt her entire body unclench. They had done it. They had brought Allura safely home.

The worst was over.

Now would come the long and difficult recovery. 

"Princess, this is Coran," he answered her. "It is so wonderful to hear your voice. Are you all right?"

"I'm..." she began, trailing off as she seemed to search for the right words.

"This is Keith," Keith took over. His voice was calm and matter-of-fact. "The Princess is in need of immediate medical attention. Please notify Doctor Gorma and have a stretcher meet us in the hangar. Among other injuries, her legs are broken and she's unable to walk."

"My poor baby!" Nanny cried out in response to the news.

Romelle didn't dare guess how she had received such an injury. When Lotor had brought her to his quarters, she had seen many of his harem slaves bearing the marks of his attentions. She herself had been lucky to receive nothing more serious than an array of cuts, scratches, and bruises. (It spoke of how little he cared for her.)

"I'll give you a detailed report as soon as Her Highness is taken care of," Keith continued, making it clear that he did not want to discuss her full condition in front of her. (Knowing her innocent cousin, she was probably incredibly embarrassed by what had been done to her body. Allura was highly modest and the idea that anyone had seen her naked was most likely overwhelming. The fact that Keith was trying to protect her modesty despite everything spoke of the incredible love he felt for her.) 

"Of course," Coran replied. "We'll be waiting for your arrival. Control out."

He ended the connection and turned to face the three people behind him.

"Nanny, please go to the infirmary and have Doctor Gorma meet us in the hangar as Keith requested," he instructed. "Take Larmina with you."

"At once!" Nanny accepted. "Come along, young lady," she said, taking Larmina by the arm. 

The girl did not protest as she was dragged out of Control.

When they were alone, Coran turned to Romelle.

"Your Highness, if you'd prefer not to be-"

Romelle held up a hand. "Since I am truly the only person here who has any idea what she's gone through, Allura is going to need me," she firmly informed him. She appreciated Coran's concern, but helping Allura was more important than protecting herself. "What Lotor did to me is nothing compared to what he must have done to her. I won't abandon her because seeing her might bring up some bad memories."

"She is very lucky to have you," he said as they began to walk towards the doors of Control. "It is a shame our planets were estranged for so long. The princess would have benefited from your friendship after she lost everything. It would have made growing up easier for her."

"I would have liked to have known her sooner too," she told him. "Allura is very special. She has a way of seeing the good in everything."

_Though,_ she sadly realized, _that may be no longer be true._

Because there was _nothing_ good in what she had just experienced...

They reached the doors to the control room and Coran keyed them open.

"Your Highness," he began as they stepped into the hallway. "If I may, I have a personal question I need to ask you."

"Of course," she accepted, knowing he wouldn't ask unless it concerned Allura.

Coran was as kind-hearted as the princess he had raised and he would never do anything with malicious intent. 

"You went through something very similar to what Allura has," he said as they started walking. "Yet you seem to have been able to move past it. How were you able to put it behind you so completely? Allura is not as strong as you and I fear that she'll never fully recover."

"Believe me Coran, I'm not as strong as I appear to be," she let him know, thinking about how her memories still came to her as nightmares despite it having been almost a year since her escape. She didn't know if they'd ever completely go away. "I was only able to move forward with my life because of the love and support of those closest to me. Sven. Bandor. Allura. They were all infinitely patient with me and let me work through the pain in my own way."

And her way had been to devote herself to freeing the slaves from Doom. By immersing herself in her personal mission, she hadn't given herself the time to dwell on what she'd been through. She was too busy to feel sorry for herself.

"And while the memories fade, they never fully go away," she informed him. "What happened to me is always with me, just as it will be with Allura. It will take time, but they won't dominate her every thought forever. She _will_ get better."

"But will she have that time before Lotor tries to take her again?" he wanted to know. "I fear he won't wait long before he comes for her. Her rescue is worse than any defeat he's ever faced before. I can't imagine how enraged this has left him."

"All we can do is be ready for him," she told him, shuddering at the thought of poor Allura ending up his clutches again.

If he were to recapture her before she had completely recovered... 

"Sven will continue to pilot Blue Lion as long as you need him," she added for reassurance. "He and I agreed on that before we even left Pollux. We can manage without him as long as we have to. Arus will never be without Voltron."

"You have no idea how much that means to our people," Coran said. "Thank you, Your Highness. While I still do not approve of it, I know the princess will want to rejoin the team as soon as she is able, which may not be for some time due to her injuries." 

_If at all,_ she silently commented.

Shortly after she and Sven had arrived, Lance had taken them aside to share with them what Haggar had said during his short imprisonment with Allura. He had asked them not to tell anyone else. (Keith was the only other person he had told and his reaction had been horrible.) Coran and Nanny were especially not to know. 

On one hand, it had surprised her that Lotor wanted a child with Allura. After all, during her time as his prisoner, she had undergone the same numerous examinations as his harem slaves to make sure she had not conceived. (She had been very fortunate that she hadn't.) He had been adamant that he did not want any offspring who might one day attempt to usurp his power. But on the other, what better way to permanently bind her to him than to father a child with her? Allura would never be able to keep him from his child since it would be a member of the Doom royal family. Because of her own honor, she'd be trapped.

"The most important thing for Allura to do is focus on getting better," Romelle stated firmly to redirect the conversation away from this dangerous topic. "And the most crucial part of her recovery will be Keith's love."

The love Keith and Allura had for each other had been a frequent topic of discussion between Coran and herself since the rescue team had left. Ever since the last planning session where Hunk had blurted out that everyone knew about their feelings, Romelle had worked hard to get Coran to understand how important Keith's love would be to her recovery. Allura would need someone she trusted completely and felt safe with to open up about what she had been through. (For her, that person had been Sven.) She would never start to truly heal otherwise.

She thought about Sven and how he'd served that same role for her. (There was no one else who understood what she'd been through the way he did. Talking to him had helped her more than anything else.) But their close relationship was not a romantic one.

Or was it?

Although she had not admitted it to anyone, not even Sven, she was starting to develop feelings for him that were more than friendship. 

She wondered if he felt the same way...

"I agree," Coran said as he guided her to turn down another hallway. "He is already so good with her. She responds to him in a way she won't for anyone else, myself and Nanny included. If anyone can get her through this, it is Keith."

"Nanny is not going to react well when she finds out about them," Romelle pointed out. 

"True," Coran agreed, "but when she sees the good Keith is doing for her, she'll come to accept it. As much as she complains that the princess does not follow proper royal protocols, she only wants what's best for her.

"How long will you yourself be able to stay, Your Highness?" he asked, changing the conversation's direction. "I know Prince Bandor relies on your assistance a great deal."

"There are other advisors who can assist him as well or better than I can," she informed him. "And the slave rescue missions practically run themselves. I plan on staying as long as Allura needs me. I can be there for her in ways Keith cannot."

"Again, I cannot thank you enough," he said as they turned down another hallway. "We owe you a debt of gratitude we can never repay. You are such a good friend to her."

"We're more than friends," she corrected him. "She's my family. _All_ of you are. Sven and I consider Arus a second home."

"Come, we're almost there," Coran said with a smile that told her how much her words meant to him. "I would like to be in the hangar before the ship arrives." 

Romelle nodded her agreement and they continued towards their destination.

((())) 

Keith returned Allura's passionate last minute kiss as Lance set the ship down in the castle hangar.

He understood how upset she was over the fact that they had to go back to hiding their feelings. But it was a situation that could not be helped. The turmoil the revelation that they were in a relationship would cause would have a negative impact on her recovery and that was the last thing he wanted for her. She didn't need to waste her time and energy arguing with Nanny and Coran over her lovelife. Her full focus needed to be on getting better. 

Besides, there were other more pressing issues to deal with.

Such as the strong possibility that she was pregnant with Lotor's child. 

If she was, and Haggar had made it sound like it was a certainty (and if anyone would know, it would be the witch), it wouldn't be long before Lotor came after her again. (Which, unfortunately, he was going to do regardless. His sick obsession with her knew no bounds.) He would want Allura back in possession before she gave birth to his heir. It would be the only way to make sure the child wasn't hidden from him. (Which was _exactly_ what Keith planned on doing. Allura's baby would be protected from that monster at all costs.)

The only chance of a reprieve would be if she wasn't pregnant.

Which given the amount of time she was in Lotor's possession was highly unlikely...

"Just so you know, I'm about to open the hatch, so you two lovebirds might want to, oh, I don't know, come up for air or something," Lance cheerily announced, breaking into Keith's thoughts.

He used the interruption to end the kiss.

The disappointment on Allura's face was heart-wrenching.

"I love you, my princess," he quietly assured her. "I'll see you as much as I can. I promise."

"I love you too," she replied, her eyes filled with tears.

"Ugh, the two of you are sickening!" Lance informed them good-naturedly as he went over to the hatchway. "I think I liked you better when you weren't all over each other."

Allura smiled despite herself. "Jealous?" she gently teased him.

"Of him?" Lance made a dismissive sound. "Don't be ridiculous. Remember, I'm the one you kissed first! In fact, I'm the one you did _everything_ with first!"

Allura's face turned a bright shade of red at the reminder.

"Just open the hatch, Lance," Keith exasperatedly ordered, mentally shaking his head at Lance's brazen remarks to the princess. 

Lance was very lucky that his crude sense of humor amused rather than offended the highly-sensitive and modest princess. (Keith knew that Allura knew that Lance didn't mean any harm with his tasteless jokes.) That was the only reason Keith had never put a stop to it. However, it was now entering dangerous territory and if Lance wasn't careful, one wrong word spoken in front of the wrong person...

He would have to take him aside and ask (aka, _order_ ) him to refrain from teasing Allura about her experiences and relationship when they weren't in private.

"As the princess's plaything commands," Lance said with a mock salute. "Prepared to be swamped in three...two..." He hit the hatch's control panel. "One!"

"My baby!" Nanny screeched as she burst onto the ship and practically ran over to Allura. She grabbed the hand Allura held out. "My poor princess! Just look at you! What did that beast do to you! Thank all of the gods that you're home!"

"Hello, Nanny," Allura quietly greeted her with a tiny smile. "I've missed you."

With that, Nanny burst into tears.

"Please don't cry," Allura urged her. "I'm all right. I promise."

"We'll let Doctor Gorma be the judge of that," Coran interjected as he entered the ship.

Larmina and Romelle came in behind him, the older woman holding the girl's hand.

"Coran! Larmina! Romelle!" Allura joyfully cried, her smile growing huge at the sight of them. "I've missed you all so much!"

Keith could feel her happiness radiate through her body and as he silently observed her interact with her four very worried loved ones, he couldn't keep from smiling himself.

The circular conversation was a humorous thing to behold. Allura, in typical Allura fashion, only wanted to know how they were doing. Every time they tried to ask her how she was feeling, she waved them off and informed them that she was "perfectly fine" (only his princess would consider having numerous injuries that included broken bones as being "perfectly fine") before once again trying to find out how _they_ had been in her absence. They would then ignore her and try to ask her questions about her own well-being, which led to Allura reassuring them in a very serious tone that she was "perfectly fine" and the whole thing would start again. It took all of his self-control not to burst out laughing. (No one but his Allura could go through what she'd gone through and still feel the need to put others ahead of herself. It was an utterly adorable trait.) 

Finally, after what felt like an hour of the five of them going back and forth and getting nowhere, the conversation dissolved into mutual tears as Allura, Romelle, and Larmina joined Nanny in her relieved crying. Only Coran maintained his composure, though his eyes were as wet as the rest.

Keith could only mentally shake his head.

After a while, Coran finally shifted his attention to Keith.

"Commander, the stretcher you asked for is here," he told him. "Doctor Gorma has been notified that the princess is coming in with extensive injuries."

"Thank you, Coran," he acknowledged and he felt Allura bury her face against his chest.

He instantly knew what was causing Allura's sudden distress. The time for them to separate had arrived and with it had come the need to go back to hiding their love for each other. 

Adjusting his hold on her in his arms, he carried her out of the ship and onto the ramp.

As he walked down the ramp, he whispered to her, "Everything's going to be all right." 

She looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy from her tears.

"Remember everything we've talked about," he instructed, purposely avoiding the words he could not let be overheard. If the wrong person was listening... "Nothing is ever going to change. I promise."

Allura gave him a tiny smile.

He wished with all his heart he could tell her again how much he loved her, but it was too dangerous with all of the people around them. (Nanny, who was very close by, would more than likely shoot him dead on the spot.) It would just have to wait until they were alone.

As promised, the stretcher was waiting for her at the bottom of the ramp. With it were the two castle maids who doubled as infirmary nurses as well as Pidge, Hunk, and Sven, who had landed their Lions in the hangar. 

"Doctor Gorma has everything ready and waiting for her," one of the maids, whose name was Delina, greeted him. "Is there anything else we need to know about her condition?"

"She was given pain medication back on Doom, but it's already worn off," he informed her. "I don't know what they used, but it was very effective stuff."

It had to have been in order for Allura to have enjoyed their lovemaking... 

He'd noticed the moment she had begun to feel all of her aches and pains again despite her attempts to hide it from him. He knew her too well to be fooled by her act, but he'd played along because there had been honestly nothing he could do to help her. The rudimentary first aid kit they'd brought along with them lacked anything powerful enough to ease her agony. 

Allura threw her good arm around his neck as he bent over to gently deposit her onto the stretcher.

"Stay with me," she murmured. "Please. I'm not ready..."

"Everything's going to be all right," he repeated, once more resisting the urge to comfort her the way he knew she craved. "I promise."

When he was certain she was completely laying against the stretcher, he gently pulled her arm from around his neck.

"I'll see you soon," he assured her. "As soon as Doctor Gorma's finished checking you out and you're settled, I'll come see you. All right?"

With tears running down her cheeks, she nodded in acknowledgement.

"My poor princess is in so much pain!" Nanny burst out, thankfully oblivious to the true reasons for Allura's crying. "Get her to the doctor at once!"

Keith stepped back as Delina and Sanielle, the other maid/nurse, got to work raising the rails on the stretcher so they could get her to the infirmary. 

"Would it be easier if one of us pushed?" Lance asked them.

Keith hadn't even noticed him come out of the ship and join the group surrounding the stretcher. (He had been admittedly distracted.)

"Yes, thank you," Sanielle accepted the offer. "It will go much faster if you do."

"I'll do it," Hunk volunteered. "I can get her there the quickest."

"Keith," Coran's voice spoke up from next to him and he turned away from watching the stretcher to see the advisor standing beside him, a serious look on his face. "If you have a moment, I need to speak to you in private."

Keith instantly knew what the topic of their discussion was going to be.

"Of course," he told him as Allura was wheeled away into the main castle.

"Lead the way."

((())) 

Keith followed Coran into a conference room that wasn't too far from the infirmary, trying to decide the best way to describe Allura's horrendous injuries without giving away his detailed knowledge of her most intimate ones.

Although Coran was accepting of the fact that he was in love with Allura and knew that she loved him in return, the advisor had made it clear that the princess was never to know of his feelings for her. He was fine with it as long as Keith only loved her from afar. But all of that would change the moment he found out that Keith had made love to her. 

He didn't even want to know what kind of reaction Coran would have. 

He just knew it would be bad. For both Allura and himself.

"Please, have a seat," Coran said, gesturing for Keith to sit in one of the many chairs surrounding the table.

Keith pulled one out and sat it in.

Coran, however, remained standing.

Turning to face the room's back wall, he announced, "Nanny and I have been lying to Her Highness for her entire life."

The unexpected declaration took Keith by surprise. Why was Coran telling him this and what did it have to do with Allura's condition?

"While it is true that there are marriage laws," Coran continued, "none of them have any bearing on her ascendance to the throne. Once she came of age, she could become queen at any time."

Keith did not say a word, not understanding why he was being told any of this information. Why would Coran want him to know this? And for what reason had Allura been misled all of her life?

"But you and I both know that Allura is too trusting and too naï ve to rule effectively on her own," Coran went on, turning back around. "She allows her compassionate nature to cloud her judgment. Hence the lie that she needs to marry in order to become queen. It was for both her own good and the good of Arus. Which is the reason why we lied to her a second time."

Keith still didn't see where Coran was going with this, so he continued to stay silent. But Coran had a point about Allura ruling on her own, one that he had never really thought about. She _was_ too trusting, among many other things. (She had a charming innocence about her. Or, at least, she'd _had_ before Lotor had touched her...) Going by the situations she had gotten them into over the past two years because of her inability to see the bad in people, she would need constant supervision as queen. And who better to keep her in check than a king by her side? (And as long as the man she married loved her and was good to her, he would be able to live with his own pain. Allura's happiness meant more to him than his own.)

"We told her that she could only marry a prince."

Keith's heart stopped at the revelation.

Allura _didn't_ have to marry a prince?

Did that mean...?

"Her husband must either be of royal or noble blood of course," Coran clarified, instantly dousing Keith's brief flare of hope that he and Allura had a chance to marry, "but that it must specifically be a prince was our own invention. Our reasoning was that only a prince could bring the knowledge and experience of being a fit ruler as well as come with the financial resources to truly rebuild our world."

Everything Coran was saying made perfect sense. The lies had been told to Allura with the best intentions for both herself and Arus. Even the one about her marrying a-

Suddenly Keith _knew_ what this entire conversation was about.

"You don't think there's going to be a prince willing to marry her because of what just happened to her," he said, remembering with disgust how Allura had considered herself "ruined." 

And if she turned out to be pregnant as well...

"No, I don't," Coran agreed, finally joining him at the table. "But finding a prince for her to marry is no longer necessary."

"It's not?" Keith questioned, once again at a loss why he was being told any of this. Coran _knew_ how he and Allura felt about each other. It wasn't in his nature to be cruel, so why was he discussing Allura's potential future husband with him? What was the point of telling him who she could and could not marry? He was the last person who needed to be hearing this. 

"No," Coran confirmed. "In fact, I've already found the perfect husband for her.

"You, Commander."

_What?!_

Keith stared at him in shocked disbelief. None of this made any sense. Hadn't Coran just finished telling him that Allura could only marry someone royal or noble, of which he was neither? How in all of the galaxies had the advisor come to the conclusion that he was the "perfect husband" for her when he clearly didn't meet any of the criteria? 

"You love her deeply, Keith," Coran said. "You've demonstrated your devotion to her time and time again. And there's no question that Allura feels the same way about you. It's obvious every time she looks at you. I honestly can't think of a better match for her than you."

Keith was completely dumbfounded by Coran's sudden reversal. Less than a week ago, the same man had basically _thanked_ him for keeping his love a secret. Now he was telling him that he _could_ marry her? What had changed? And how?

"Would you be willing to marry Princess Allura?"

Looking him straight in the eye, Keith honestly told him, "There's nothing I've wanted more for a very long time. But I've always known that it was an impossibility. I-"

"But what if it wasn't?" Coran countered. "What if I told you that there was nothing keeping you from marrying her? Would you?"

"In a heartbeat," he assured him, more than anything wanting this to be real. To marry the woman he loved... "But I don't see-"

"Before you say another word, I want you to read this," Coran interrupted, sliding the tablet towards him that had already been on the table when they'd arrived. 

"What is it?" he asked, accepting the device and picking it up.

"Just read," Coran instructed as Keith scanned the displayed information.

The imaged document, which looked fairly old, was titled "The Knights of Arus." And it appeared to be nothing more than a compiled list of names.

"What am I looking for?" he tried again as he started to go down the list.

"You'll know it when you see it," was Coran's cryptic reply.

Both puzzled and intrigued, he continued to read name after name.

When he was nearly halfway down the list he finally saw it.

And nearly dropped the tablet in shock.

"This-this is impossible," he murmured, shaking his head in utter disbelief. "How can...? I don't understand."

On the screen, written in the same hand as the rest of the list, was his own surname, Kogane.

"What _is_ this, Coran? Who are the Knights of Arus and how did my name get on this list?" he demanded to know.

"The Knights of Arus were once the defenders of this world," Coran began explaining. "They were said to be among the greatest warriors in the universe. Their skills in both physical combat and magic were legendary. For generations, all Voltron pilots were chosen from among their ranks. It was they who protected Arus from the forces of evil.

"That is, they did until they and their families suddenly vanished a century ago."

"Vanished?" Keith repeated, intrigued by the revelation. It didn't sound possible. "How?"

"No one knows," Coran told him. "One day they were here and then suddenly they were gone. All twenty families disappeared from Arus and they were never heard from again." 

The advisor met his gaze. 

"Until two years ago."

"This doesn't make any sense," Keith protested, struggling to understand what this meant. How could his family name be on an ancient list? There was nothing special about his family. No magic or extraordinary skills. (If he was related to one of these Knights, it must not have been a very important or powerful one.) His life growing up had been as ordinary as anybody else's. "I've never heard of anyone on my father's side of the family coming from another world. As far as I know, they've always lived on Earth. In fact, I was the first family member to go to the academy."

He remembered the time very well. He had been eighteen-years-old and he had been in the midst of a feud with his mother. His father had recently died after a long battle with an illness and his mother had revealed, the very day after her husband's death no less, that she had been seeing someone else. Keith had been devastated to learn of his mother's unfaithfulness, especially during a time when his ailing father had needed her the most. Her behavior had gone against everything he had ever been taught by both of his parents. (She had tried to justify what she had done by bringing up the fifteen year age difference between Kenneth and herself and claiming that she was "too young" to be alone.) To make matters worse, she had left on a trip with her lover almost immediately and missed her late husband's funeral. To this day he had never completely forgiven her for what she had done, though he'd made numerous attempts to reconcile with her over the years, all of which had been ignored. (She'd turned her entire family against him as well, leaving him without a single relative to keep in touch with.) Entering the academy had been a welcome escape from all of his personal troubles. 

"If the families did not want to be found, it would make sense that they did not share their origins when making new lives for themselves," Coran pointed out. "Perhaps, your father and his immediate relatives were unaware of their Arusian background. The Knights covered their tracks well when leaving Arus. Not a single record exists from the time of their disappearance. Everything we have and know predates it."

Keith didn't know what to think. He had spent his entire life being so sure of who he was and where he had come from. His family had been small on both sides, his father being an only child and his mother having only one brother. (He'd spent most of his childhood wishing for siblings. His father had always joked that it was a "Kogane family tradition" to be an only child since his father and grandfather had been as well.) If what Coran was telling him was true and his family _had_ originally come from Arus...

"Just exactly how did you happen to find this?" he at last questioned, knowing in his heart of hearts that this was real. Coran had no reason to lie about this. 

His family had come from Arus.

His family was of noble blood.

And noble blood meant he would be _allowed_ to marry Allura...

"I was searching for a copy of the royal marriage laws," Coran told him, surprising him once again. "It had been so long since I've actually read them that I wanted to make sure that I was remembering them correctly. I was hoping that I wasn't and that there was an exception that would allow the princess to marry someone neither royal nor noble. But before-" 

"Wait, you had already decided that you wanted me to marry Allura?" he interrupted, needing to know this more than anything. "How? Why?"

Coran looked down at the table. "I've always been aware that you possessed all of the qualities that would make a great king. They were clear to me from almost the first moment we met. And then the way you connected with Her Highness in a way that no one else ever had... But I was too caught up in my own lie to consider the possibility of you marrying her. I was only thinking of the future and what Allura's marriage would mean for Arus. 

"I was wrong when I gave you my gratitude for keeping your love a secret," he confessed, lifting his head to meet Keith's gaze once again. "I should have encouraged the two of you as soon as I recognized your mutual feelings. Allura's happiness should have been more important to me than gaining another planet's wealth. It took Princess Romelle pointing out to me the important role your love would play in Allura's recovery to realize how blind I've been. I'm ashamed of my behavior. Allura is like a daughter to me and I've ignored her wants for far too long. Can you ever forgive me?"

Keith was once again blindsided by Coran's unexpected words. Coran was _apologizing_ for doing what he felt was best for Allura? Why couldn't he see that he'd done nothing wrong? 

"You have nothing to apologize for," he waved him off. "Marrying Allura was something I'd never thought would happen. I've always known a future with her was out of the question. What you said to me that day only reinforced what I already knew. So for you to tell me now that I can marry her... You now have my undying gratitude."

"Does that mean you will marry her?"

"Only if she'll have me," he answered, already knowing how happy Allura was going to be when Coran told her. Until that moment, the fact that they had already entered a relationship had to continue to remain a secret. "I love her too much to force her into a marriage she may not want."

It was of course a lie, but one designed to protect Allura. Coran couldn't know that she had already confessed to wanting to give up everything just to marry him. 

That they'd made love several times...

"Believe me, Keith, she wants to be with you as much as you want to be with her," Coran said. "And I think you-"

"Um, Keith, sorry to interrupt," Lance's voice suddenly broadcast over his Voltcom. "I know you're busy with Coran, but we've got a bit of a situation here in the infirmary."

_Allura!_

Had her injuries been worse than he'd thought?

"What's happened? Is Allura-?"

"She's, um, well... According to Delina, she's having a bit of a meltdown."

_Oh, no!_

He supposed he shouldn't be too surprised. She had been through so much in such a short time that it was probably all just catching up with her now. Add to that the fact that she had been so upset that they had to separate so she could be checked by the doctor. It all combined to equal one overwhelmed princess. 

Giving a meaningful look to Coran, he told Lance, "I'll be right there. Keith out."

"Go," Coran simply said.

Nodding his thanks, Keith leapt from his chair and raced out of the conference room and headed towards the infirmary.

His Allura needed him.

((())) 

"No more! Please!" Allura pleaded as Doctor Gorma started to set up the stirrups on the end of the bed. "Please! I-I can't! I hurt too much! Please!"

She knew _exactly_ what the stirrups meant, what he was going to want to see. And she just couldn't go through that now. She was already in so much pain. (As Doctor Gorma had explained, because he needed to know the exact level of pain associated with each injury, he could not give her any more pain medication before he was finished examining her.) Placing her legs in the stirrups would be bad enough. But when he started checking her _there_...

She moved her thighs closer together in an attempt to protect herself in the only way she could. (Curling up into a ball was physically impossible right now.)

"I'm sorry, Your Highness," Doctor Gorma apologized, "but I need to see all of your injuries. It won't take long, I promise."

"Please..." she tried again. "I can't!"

"Child, you will stop this nonsense at once!" Nanny commanded from her place near the head of Allura's bed. "Allow the doctor to do his job. Start acting like the princess you are! This behavior is unacceptable!"

"Her Highness is fine," Doctor Gorma waved her off. "Her reluctance is understandable. But, Princess, I urge that you let me proceed with the pelvic exam now. It's best to ascertain the extent of your internal injuries before they begin to heal. It will help determine the best course of treatment."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just can't. I hurt-"

"Why are you being such a foolish girl?" Nanny cut her off. "You heard what the doctor said! You need to let him check you! The sooner he finishes examining you, the sooner he can give you something for the pain! Stop this ridiculous behavior!"

"I hurt too much!" Allura protested, wishing Nanny would understand. The pain she was already in... Allowing Doctor Gorma to move her legs and then touch her... _there_... She wouldn't be able to take it. "Please!"

"Allura," came the calm voice of Romelle as she reappeared on her other side, taking her good hand in both of hers. (Her cousin had moved away from her bedside a short while ago. Allura was glad of her return.) "I've just sent Delina to find Keith. He'll be here soon."

_Keith!_ Allura thought happily, momentarily forgetting everything else.

_He_ would be able to make Nanny and Doctor Gorma understand that she was in too much pain.

_He_ would make everything all right again.

"He will do no such thing!" Nanny bellowed. "The princess is in no state to have any visitors, especially male ones! She is inappropriately dressed and too exposed! He cannot be allowed to come in here!"

"Oh, please, Nanny!" Allura begged. "Let Keith come! I'll be good if he's here! I swear!"

When Keith was with her, she knew all was right in her world. He made her feel safe and protected. She would do almost anything to have him near her.

"Absolutely not!" Nanny informed her. "Now, while I'll allow that the commander is-"

"The commander is what?" Keith interrupted as he entered the examination room.

"Keith!" Allura happily cried as he immediately came over to her.

Romelle released her hold on her hand and moved so that Keith could take her place.

"You can't be in here!" Nanny screeched as Keith, much to Allura's delight and surprise, leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

"Are you all right, my love?" he softly asked her as he took the hand Romelle had released, clearly ignoring his own decision to hide their relationship. "Lance said you were very upset."

"I'm-" she started to answer.

"What are you doing?!" Nanny ranted. "How dare you be so familiar with Her Highness! You have no right to-"

"Enough, Nanny," Romelle interjected. "Let them be."

Allura shuddered as Nanny's face reddened with anger.

"Ooh, just wait until I tell Coran about this!" she raged. "He'll be furious! I won't be surprised if he-"

"Nanny, I'm here because Coran gave me permission," Keith calmly told her, once again surprising Allura.

Coran had _allowed_ Keith to come into the examination room knowing that she would not be presentable? She couldn't believe it. The only ones who would be permitted to see her this way were...

Had Keith _told_ Coran about their relationship? It was the only explanation that made sense, especially given that he had kissed her in front of everybody, but if he had, why wasn't Coran keeping them apart? (Keith had told her that while Coran knew of their mutual feelings, he had made it clear that they were never to be acted upon. Wouldn't entering into a relationship with her be a clear violation of his wishes?) Why was he instead allowing Keith to be with her? What was she missing? 

"I don't believe it!" Nanny huffed. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"If you calm down, I'll explain everything to you," Keith answered. "But not here. In private."

Allura wondered at the "in private" part. What could Keith possibly have to say that he didn't want her to hear? If it was about their relationship, shouldn't she be a part of the conversation? 

"Very well, Commander," Nanny finally relented, much to Allura's relief. She hated it when Nanny was so upset. (Which, unfortunately, had become a frequent occurrence ever since the space explorers had come into their lives.) "I will go with you so you can explain your impertinent behavior."

Keith leaned down and kissed Allura's forehead a second time. 

"I'll tell you everything when we're alone," he promised.

"All right," she replied, again wondering why he didn't want her to hear now.

But she knew Keith never did anything without a good reason, so she would be patient until he told her.

He released her hand.

"Romelle, I'd like you to hear this too," he said as he stepped away from the bed and motioned for the two women to follow him.

The three of them disappeared from her field of vision and if it weren't for the sound of Keith's quiet voice, she would never had known they were still in the same room.

"Princess," Doctor Gorma, who had not said a word since right before Keith's arrival, spoke up, "have you made a decision yet? Will you allow me to perform the pelvic exam?" 

The mention of the exam reminded her of _why_ she had been pleading with him to postpone it.

But now that she was feeling calmer, thanks to Keith's nearness, she realized that the doctor was right. It _would_ be best to just get it over with. 

"Can we wait for Keith to return?" she asked hopefully, knowing she'd be able to better handle the pain if he were by her side.

"Certainly, Your Highness," Doctor Gorma agreed, "but are you sure you will be comfortable with him being here during the exam? You will be completely exposed."

"Lotor kept me naked for almost the entire time I was his prisoner," she matter-of-factly informed him, realizing as she said it that she had gotten used to being undressed at all times. It felt like an eternity since she had worn real clothes. It would be strange to be dressed again. Good, but strange. "I was seen by numerous servants and I was still that way when Keith and Lance rescued me. I don't care if he sees me again while you examine me. I'll just feel better having him here."

"All right, Your Highness," the doctor agreed and Allura closed her eyes in relief. 

Suddenly, Nanny let out a loud cry of displeasure.

"No, no! I refuse to accept it!" she shouted. "I don't care what that supposed document claims! My baby will only marry a prince!"

Allura tried to sit up to see what was going on, but she was in a bad position and could not maneuver herself. 

Why was Nanny carrying on about who she was going to marry? What did that have to do with anything? What could Keith have possibly said to her?

"Princess Allura will marry whoever she chooses," Keith countered in a calm, quiet voice. "All I am saying is that because of what Coran has shared with me, I am now eligible to marry her. And that gives me every right to openly show her how I feel."

Allura gasped, shocked by what Keith had just said.

Coran had said he was eligible to marry her?

Keith could really become her husband and king?

Oh, she prayed to all of the gods it was true!

It would be a miracle!

"I am going to speak to Coran about this nonsense!" Nanny declared. "You obviously heard him wrong! I will get to the bottom of this and set you straight!"

"You should go do that," Romelle spoke up. "The sooner, the better. In fact, right now would be perfect."

"You are absolutely right, Princess!" Nanny agreed and Allura silently giggled at the fact that Nanny was oblivious to the fact that Romelle was only saying that to get rid of her. "I will go speak with him this instant! The very idea that a commoner can marry a princess! Well, I never!"

Allura listened as Nanny's clomping footsteps faded along with her voice.

_Oh, please let what I heard be true!_

Suddenly, Romelle's face appeared above hers once again.

"Well, Cousin," she said with a smile, "I'm going to leave you in the capable hands of your intended. I need to make sure that Nanny doesn't throttle Coran when he tries to set her straight." She leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I'll see you later."

"All right," Allura replied, her eyes filling with happy tears as Romelle's words confirmed that everything she had heard was true.

She and Keith _could_ get married!

Romelle stepped away and less than a second later, Keith took her place.

"It's really true," she breathed, her tears falling down her cheeks. "We can-"

"Yes, my love," he confirmed, gently cutting her off as he caressed her cheek. "Apparently, someone on my father's side of the family was a Knight of Arus."

Her eyes widened in surprise at the mention of the long-lost guardians of the world. 

Keith was _descended_ from one of the Knights?

Keith's family was from Arus?

And he wasn't just from any Arusian family.

It was a _noble_ Arusian family.

And a noble family was practically a _royal_ family...

She couldn't believe it! It was the miracle she had been praying for!

"We can get married!" she happily cried, not even caring how Coran had found out about Keith's heritage. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that she could marry him! "I love you so much! I want to get married as soon as we can!"

Keith gave a soft laugh at her declaration. "So do I, my princess, but I believe you have some unfinished business with Doctor Gorma first."

Allura reddened from embarrassment as she realized that in her excitement she'd forgotten all about the patiently waiting doctor. 

"I'm so sorry, Doctor," she apologized. "I know I've been an awful patient today. Can you ever forgive me?"

"You have nothing to apologize for, Your Highness," Gorma assured her. "I realize how much pain you must be in and I again apologize for causing you more, but I can't treat you properly unless I know where you hurt and what's causing the associated pain. The pelvic exam is the last part I need to perform before I can start you on a pain regiment. Are you ready to proceed?"

"Yes, Doctor," she told him as Keith took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I'm ready."

((())) 

At the sound of the waiting room door opening, Lance jumped to his feet.

He, Sven, and Coran were the only ones still sitting there. (He and Sven had been there the entire time while Coran had just shown up around fifteen minutes ago.) Shortly into the first hour (which Lance had figured to now be over an hour ago), Larmina had started getting restless, so Pidge and Hunk had taken the eleven-year-old somewhere else with the intention of finding something to keep her occupied. Keith, of course, was in with Allura while Nanny and Romelle had not been seen or heard from since Nanny's dramatic exit thirty minutes ago (which, coincidentally or not-so-coincidentally, came less than five minutes after Keith had gone in). Romelle had followed shortly after and was presumably still with her. (He assumed Coran's late arrival was related to whatever had gotten Nanny so fired up.) 

Doctor Gorma emerged into the waiting room, his expression as unreadable as always.

"How is she, Doctor?" Coran asked for all of them.

"Her Highness is resting comfortably now," Gorma answered. "I administered her a sedative along with the pain medication to ensure that she sleeps for the next several hours. The princess is suffering from severe malnourishment, which has greatly weakened her. She's been given an IV with nutrients to start rebuilding her strength. She probably won't be ready for solid food for several days. 

"Her main injuries are her broken bones," he continued. "The tibia and fibula in both legs were snapped in half. Her Highness told me that Prince Lotor ordered one of the robots to break her legs, which would account for the clean breaks. And the head of her right humerus is fractured, which the Princess informed me happened when she was knocked from her bed. I've put her arm in an immobilizer and a sling and both legs have been placed in casts. Because of the leg injuries alone, she is going to be confined to beds and chairs for the majority of her recovery, which is generally six to eight weeks for broken bones.

"Her broken shoulder presents another issue," the doctor went on. "Her Highness is right-handed and she will not be able to use her arm for the duration of recovery. She will need assistance with almost every day-to-day task. To make things easier for her, I have placed her on a catheter for now. When she's stronger, I will offer her the option of using a bed pan instead." 

Lance inwardly winced at the information. Allura was not going to be a very happy princess. She loved to be active and on the go, not to mention the fact that she was fiercely independent. It had been bad enough that she had been immobilized like this while she was Lotor's prisoner. It was going to be much worse now that she was home. Being trapped in bed and requiring help with every little task was going to drive her crazy.

He knew that having Keith by her side would make things a whole lot easier for her. Thank goodness he had finally come to his senses! (He honestly had never seen Keith as happy as he'd been when he'd found him sleeping with Allura in his arms. And he'd known him for a very long time!) As he, Sven, and Romelle had been telling him all along, his love was going to make a world of difference in Allura's recovery. She would thrive on it.

"I would like to keep her here in the infirmary for at least a week before I even consider releasing her to her own chambers," Doctor Gorma added. "She needs to regain her strength before I can assess her ability to perform any tasks associated with daily living. There are some things she won't be able to do on her own period, but there are others she can learn to do with minimal assistance. Once she can do those, I will allow her to move outside of the infirmary.

"The rest of her injuries were all minor and required very little care on my part," he concluded his report. "They will all heal over time."

"Thank you, Doctor Gorma," Coran said. "I know she's sleeping, but would it be all right to go in and see her now?"

"I don't see why not," Gorma told him. "The commander is already with her. But if you don't mind, Coran, there is one other issue that I need to discuss with you in private."

"If you're talking about the fact that she was repeatedly raped by that bastard Lotor, we already know all about it," Lance spoke up, not wanting to be kept in the dark about anything regarding Allura's condition and knew Sven felt the same way. (They'd fill Hunk and Pidge in later.) If the doctor had just discovered that she was pregnant... "So let's have it, Doc. Is she carrying his baby?"

Gorma's usually impassive expression changed to one of surprise. "That is... Um, well, that's not something... Coran-"

"It's all right, Doctor," Coran soothed him, giving Lance a look of disapproval. "Lance's concern may have been poorly worded, but I do understand his sentiment. We are all family here and he has as much right to know about Her Highness's condition as anyone. Anything you have to say can be said in front of the Voltron Force."

Gorma looked uncomfortable, but nodded. "Very well. The truth is I have not conducted a pregnancy test as of yet. And even if I had and she has conceived, the pregnancy will not be detected until her body begins to produce certain hormones and that will not be until around a week after conception. Based on the timetable of her kidnapping, we are still a day or so away from being able to begin to check for those hormones. And that is only if she conceived immediately after being taken."

_Which would mean the baby could be mine,_ Lance realized, on one hand knowing that it wouldn't be the end of the world (it would mean that all of Lotor's efforts were wasted and Allura would be able to love her child without the constant fear of him or her being taken away by Doom), but that it would cause a whole lot of problems for everyone (he would have to confess his actions to Coran, which would not go over well, and probably get him kicked off of the planet to boot).

"And there's no other way to check for pregnancy?" Sven asked.

"Nothing that is normally done, no," Gorma answered, surprising Lance. 

Haggar had seemed so certain of Allura being pregnant when they'd rescued her. But it was possible that she had just been bluffing to keep them from blowing Lotor away, which Lance would have been more than happy to do. (Lotor was the lowest kind of scum there was and killing him would have brought Lance a whole lot of pleasure.) Maybe she hadn't really known and there was a chance that Allura wasn't pregnant at all, which would be a win for everyone. 

No one would be happier than Allura herself...

"There is one possibility, but it would require Her Highness's consent," Gorma continued. "It's an invasive procedure that would involve a visual search for the blastocyst within the Princess's reproductive system. It can be done in one of two ways, both equally time consuming. But as her physician, I highly recommend against it at this time. She is very fragile right now and I don't think it would be a good idea to bring up the possibility of pregnancy so early in her recovery. It would be better to wait for her to start experiencing the symptoms."

"To be honest, the sooner we know if Her Highness is with child, the better," Coran soberly stated. "If she is indeed pregnant, it will be imperative that she be married before the pregnancy becomes noticeable to avoid scandal."

Lance bit his tongue to keep himself from saying something that would probably get him banned from visiting Allura.

He couldn't believe that the first thing that came to Coran's mind during this horrible time was marrying her off to prevent a scandal! Ugh! He'd thought Coran was better than that, especially since he knew that Allura was in love with Keith and vice versa.

"I don't think the commander would mind getting married immediately," Coran added, shocking Lance and, from the expression on his face, Sven too.

Only Doctor Gorma didn't flinch.

"Wait, back up," Lance interjected. "Would you mind saying that again because I swear you just said that _Keith,_ as in the Voltron Commander Keith, wouldn't mind marrying the princess."

"That is exactly what I said," Coran informed him. "While you were away on the rescue mission, I made the discovery that Keith's family was originally from Arus. He is descended from one of the noble Arusian families, making him eligible to seek the princess's hand."

"No way!" Lance shot back. "You've got to be kidding me!"

If this was true, and there was no way that someone like Coran would make up something like that, then that would mean that both Keith and Allura had been torturing themselves for the last two years for absolutely nothing. They could have gotten together immediately! 

"That is wonderful news," Sven spoke up. "I take it that Keith already knows?"

Coran nodded. "I told him almost immediately after you arrived with Allura."

_And that explains Nanny practically running out of the examining room as if her pants were on fire,_ Lance smirked to himself. 

He could just imagine the look on Nanny's face when Keith had informed her that he was in fact a noble and that he was going to marry Allura. (It's a shame he hadn't been there to see it! It would have been one of those moments that would have gone down in the annals of history!) But for all of her carrying on, there would be nothing she could do to stop it.

_Who's a hooligan now?_ Lance silently shot at her.

"Back to the issue at hand," Coran redirected the conversation. "If I can get Her Highness to consent to the procedure, would you perform it as soon as possible?"

"I would have to have some of the necessary equipment delivered from Planet Ebb, but yes, I would," Gorma informed him. "It would take less than a day for them to arrive. I would probably receive them early tomorrow morning."

"Please go and order the items now, Doctor," Coran instructed. "I will speak to Keith and he will be able to convince Her Highness to consent."

"As you wish," Gorma nodded. "Please excuse me."

He went back into the infirmary, leaving the three men in the waiting room.

"If you gentlemen will come with me, we will check on the princess and speak with Keith," Coran told Lance and Sven.

"After you," Lance gestured.

And Coran turned towards the door that Gorma had just gone through and opened it.

Lance and Sven followed him as he entered the infirmary.

((())) 

Keith quietly sat at Allura's bedside, holding her left hand between both of his.

She was in a deep, drug-induced sleep and he couldn't tell whether or not she was dreaming. (He hoped that she wasn't. He worried that because she had been so distracted by her rescue and their new relationship while awake that thoughts of her horrific experience at Lotor's hands would surface as nightmares.) Doctor Gorma had assured him that she would sleep for the next several hours, but he couldn't bring himself to leave her side quite yet. He wanted to spend as much time with his fiancée as he could.

His _fiancée._

He was still having trouble getting his head around it. It was overwhelming enough to learn that his family had originated on Arus and, on top of that, were part of the nobility. But then to find out that he was allowed to _marry_ the woman he had loved for so long because of it... It didn't seem real.

But Coran had assured him that it was and of anyone, Coran had the least reason to lie about anything affecting Allura's future. So he chose to accept everything the royal advisor had told him and embrace a life where he was married to Allura.

Soon-to-be _queen_ Allura. 

Which meant that he was the soon-to-be _king._

_That_ alone was the most overwhelming part of becoming Allura's husband. In an instant, he would go from the commander of a small team of space explorers to the ruler of an entire world. It was a mind-blowing realization. Being a planetary leader didn't even compare to running a team of five. But he knew he'd be able to handle it as long as Allura was by his side.

He smiled as he remembered how he had made their engagement "official" by proposing to her while Doctor Gorma was treating her shoulder. He knew she'd be in such terrible pain that he quickly had to come up with a distraction to take her mind off of it. He had spoken the most flowery and poetic words he could think of on such short notice and his princess had loved every one of them. The only thing that had been missing was a ring, but Allura hadn't minded. (He wasn't even sure if they wore engagement rings on Arus. He'd only seen wedding bands when the team had visited the towns and villages.) The proposal had had the intended effect and she'd been too busy kissing him to notice that the doctor had finished putting her arm in the sling.

He couldn't wait to begin their life together. Allura was going to be his _wife_! And the mother-

The thought of children stopped him cold as the reality that she could already be pregnant with Lotor's child came to the forefront of his mind. If she was, her nightmare was far from over. Lotor would stop at nothing to possess his child. And Allura would always have a reminder of her horrible experience. (But that didn't mean that they wouldn't love the child and that he wouldn't be the child's father. The child did not deserve to be punished because of who his or her biological father was.)

A small part of him hoped that if she was in fact pregnant, that it was a result of her one time with Lance. _That_ she would be able to handle and Lotor would have no reason to try to take the child. (He'd still want Allura of course, but at least a child that wasn't his would be of no use to him.) It was the more desirable outcome of an unplanned pregnancy.

An even smaller part hoped that it was his, but he knew that it was unlikely. They'd only been together those few times on the ship and if Allura was with child, she would have already been pregnant by the time they'd rescued her.

But they had their whole lives ahead of them to have children of their own. (He didn't know how many they'd have, but all he knew was he didn't want an only child like both he and Allura had been. He was sure Allura would agree. And since they both loved children...) There was no hurry. He wanted to enjoy his life with her one day at a time.

He took his right hand away from her left and brushed her hair back from her face. He then leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"So, I hear congratulations are in order, Your Majesty," Lance's voice came from behind him.

Keith sat up and turned around to see Lance, Sven, and Coran all coming into Allura's room.

"Actually," Sven spoke up as they gathered around her bed, "you won't address him as 'Your Majesty' until after he's been crowned king." 

The others all looked at him.

"And how exactly did you come to know that?" Lance wanted to know, folding his arms across his chest.

Sven shrugged. "I've picked up a few things from my time on Pollux. You try living among royals and see if you don't learn how they address each other."

"Really? You mean Romelle isn't giving you private lessons?" Lance teased.

Keith mentally rolled his eyes. Now that he and Allura were together, it appeared that Lance had found a new target for his compulsive meddling.

"As I keep saying, it isn't like that between us," Sven waved him off. "We're just friends."

"Sure you are," Lance commented. "Just like these two were 'just friends' until this morning," he went on, holding his hands up in air quotes. "So what happened, _Commander_? You finally noticed that Allura had the hots for you and decided to do something about it? It's about time! I was starting to think you were blind or something."

"Hello to you too," Keith shot back, resisting the urge to _actually_ roll his eyes. Leave it to Lance to disguise his knowledge of how far their relationship had actually gone in the most annoying way possible. "I know I can always count on you to say something flattering."

"Just calling it as I see it," Lance declared. "Though marriage so fast? Methinks someone's more than a little bit impatient." 

Keith just shook his head. Lance was clearly having way too much fun with this.

"Remind me to keep you away from our children," Keith matter-of-factly replied.

"And deprive them of my stellar influence?" Lance mock-gasped. "You are a cruel, cruel man. I fear the kind of king you're going to be."

"The commander will make a fine king," Coran interjected, his exasperation at the banter clear in his voice. (Keith could understand why he wasn't in a mood to put up with Lance's warped brand of humor. The woman he had practically raised himself was laying in a hospital bed after surviving a hellish ordeal. It was unsurprising that he couldn't find humor in anything right now.) "How is Allura doing?"

Keith turned back to his beloved and gently touched her cheek.

"Sleeping peacefully," he said before returning his attention to the visitors. "Doctor Gorma said the sedative should keep her that way for several hours."

"The rest will be good for her," Coran determined. "And it will give us time continue our discussion from before and make the decisions that need to be made before she wakes."

"Of course," Keith agreed, gesturing for Coran, Sven, and Lance to sit down in the other chairs spread throughout the room.

"Would you prefer it if Lance and I left?" Sven questioned Coran.

"We already know what they're going to talk about," Lance pointed out before Coran could answer. "I for one want to hear what Keith has to say."

Personally, Keith didn't care if they stayed or left. As far as he was concerned, they were his family and what they did was up to them. Coran, on the other hand, could see things differently.

But since he needed Coran on his side to ensure his future with Allura...

"I will leave it up to you," Coran replied, surprising Keith. "As you so...bluntly put before, you have every right to know everything that is going on."

Keith wondered what he had missed before they had come into the room. Lance had obviously opened his mouth. (What else was new?) But Coran was clearly letting the issue go, probably because he was more concerned with Allura.

"Keith, as our earlier discussion was cut short, we didn't get to talk about the possibility of Allura being pregnant," Coran began. "I hope that-"

"Any child of Allura's will be my child as well," Keith bluntly interrupted him. He knew what Coran had been about to say and wanted to immediately nip that concern in the bud. He was surprised Coran would even think that of him. He thought the advisor already knew that his love for Allura was unconditional. A baby that wasn't biologically his wouldn't make a difference. "I meant it when I said I'd marry her in a heartbeat."

Coran looked relieved. "I thought as much, but you understand why I had to ask."

Keith tightened his grip on Allura's hand. "Of course. But just know that Allura is the love of my life. I would never do anything to hurt her."

He remembered how worried she'd been when she herself had asked him if he'd still love her if she was pregnant by Lotor.

"If she is in fact pregnant, would you be willing to marry her within the next couple of days?" was Coran's next question. 

"I would marry her right now if I could," he assured him. "But I think Allura is the one who ultimately has to make that decision. I want to do whatever will make her the happiest."

Truthfully, Allura was the one that needed to decide where and when her marriage took place. While he wouldn't care if their marriage ceremony was nothing more than the signing of a piece of paper, Allura might feel differently. (He'd always heard that a wedding was one of the most important days in a woman's life.) She was a princess, after all, and might want the pomp and circumstance that afforded her. (Knowing her love for her people, she'd most likely want a very large and very public affair so she could share her happiness with as many Arusians as possible.) He wanted what she wanted. He would not go forward without her participation.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you," Coran said. "If Allura is pregnant as we all strongly believe her to be, she must be married before she begins to show. Her reputation among the Arusian people must be protected. You've lived among us long enough to know how inflexible many can be when it comes to our traditions. If it is discovered that she was with a man outside of marriage..."

Keith understood. Arus was a very traditional world, which was probably part of the reason why the people had not completely given into despair since the coming of Doom. The rules and customs of their society gave them something to focus on rather than what had been taken from them. The marriage of and ascendance to queen of their princess was probably the most important of all. 

For Allura to be seen as breaking one of these traditions...

"Even if it wasn't her fault?" Lance interjected.

"Lance, do you really think it would be a good idea to make the kidnapping and violation of Allura by Lotor public knowledge?" Sven interjected. 

"Of course not," Lance assured him. "But who's to say she couldn't have been grabbed by some local creep here on Arus? The people may be mostly peaceful, but there are bound to be a couple of lowlifes around. I mean, she's not under surveillance at all times. I'm just saying there are ways of explaining a pregnancy without making her a floozy."

"Which would make _us_ look incompetent instead," Keith pointed out. "The people will lose faith in our ability to keep them safe from Doom if we can't even protect the princess. No, Coran is right. Allura can't be seen as having a baby until after she's married. If she's pregnant, we have to get married right away."

He turned back to Allura and gently touched her cheek. 

While he knew that Allura was eager for them get married, he doubted she had really thought things through. Although she had declared that she wanted the two of them to be wed "as soon as we can," she had been very emotional at the time and not thinking clearly. She hadn't given any thought to the process of marrying itself. (Neither of them had. It was just something they had both wanted for a long time.) What kind of ceremony would she want? What kind of dress? He hated the idea of having to deprive her of her dream wedding. But what choice did they have if she was pregnant? Her reputation and standing _had_ to be protected at all costs.

"But what if she isn't pregnant at all?" Sven asked. "We could very well be jumping the gun here, Coran. There might not be any need to rush the marriage along."

"I honestly believe there is," Coran countered. "Lotor wants nothing more than to force Allura to marry him. If she's already married, he will not be able to do so. She'll truly be out of his reach once and for all."

_But will she really?_ Keith silently questioned, studying the fading bruises on her face.

The ones Lotor had given her for simply not being a virgin. 

Lotor's obsession with Allura went far beyond psychotic. Keith doubted a little thing like her being married to another man was going to deter him. He saw Allura as his possession. A husband would simply be an obstacle to get rid of. Knowing Lotor, his plan would be to first kill him, which was something he had already been trying to do for a long time, and then to brutally punish her for her "unfaithfulness." 

And it would be far worse than what he'd already done to her... 

"Keith, do you think you'll be able to get her to agree to a quiet ceremony within the next day or so?" Coran wanted to know.

Keith returned his attention to him. "I believe so. But what reason should I give her for the hurry? I don't want it to be anything that would upset her."

He'd have to tell her something that would make her not mind that it was a private event. More than anything, he wanted her to be excited about getting married to him. She didn't need to know the true reasons why they had to be wed so fast. 

"I'll leave that up to you," Coran told him. "You'll know what she'll be the most receptive to."

He nodded. He had until she woke up to come up with something that Allura would easily accept.

He once again returned his attention to his sleeping love and, leaning over, pressed a kiss to her forehead.

She stirred in her sleep at the gentle touch.

"You said there were decisions that had to be made," he spoke as he straightened back up and released her hand, unwilling to disturb her further. "This was just one. What's another one?"

"We will need to come up with an official story to explain why your engagement and marriage were conducted in private," Coran told him. "It won't be long before the people begin to notice Her Highness's absence from the public eye and when she finally reappears, it will be as a queen married to her king. Given the nature of her visible injuries, I was thinking we could perhaps attribute them to a mishap during Lion practice. We can exaggerate the extent of her injuries, saying that the reason the two of you got married was because there was a time that it appeared that she wasn't going to completely recover and she wanted to make sure that her people were left in capable hands. We can say that her condition allowed her to finally express her love for you and it was a happy coincidence that not only did you feel the same way, but you discovered your Arusian heritage as well."

"It's clear that you've thoroughly thought this through, Coran," Keith said with a nod. It was a reasonable explanation that no one would question. It covered everything, including a possible pregnancy. "I say we use it. What else?"

"Doctor Gorma says that there is a way of determining if she is pregnant long before the conventional method would reveal the condition," Coran let him know. "But it is an invasive procedure and he won't perform it without Her Highness's consent. I would like you to get it from her tonight if you can. The doctor said the equipment will be here early tomorrow and it would be best if Allura is examined as soon as possible. I'm sure you agree that that it is very important that we know definitely whether or not she is carrying a child." 

"She wants to know as badly as the rest of us," Keith assured him. "She's already expressed her concerns about a pregnancy to me. A child is something that will affect the rest of our lives, especially if Lotor is the father. The quicker we know her condition, the better." 

What Coran didn't need to know was that Allura's worries were more over Keith not loving her because of a pregnancy than anything else. 

"I know I've said it before, but you are a good man, Keith Kogane," Coran stated as he got to his feet. "Her Highness chose wisely when she fell in love with you."

Keith was unsure how to respond to that kind of praise, so he chose to say nothing, rising to his feet as well.

Sven and Lance followed suit.

"I will let the doctor know that the procedure is approved," Coran continued. "If you gentlemen will excuse me."

Keith nodded at the advisor and Coran made his way out of the room.

He sank back down into his chair, reflexively taking hold of Allura's hand.

He exhaled as the overwhelming realization of what had just been discussed fully hit him.

In less than a day or two, he was going to not only be married and the king of Arus, but he was possibly going to be a father as well. 

It was a lot to take in.

"Are you okay with everything that's happening?" Lance asked in a quiet voice.

He looked up to see that both Lance and Sven had not returned to their seats and were still standing.

"Yeah, I am," he truthfully answered.

As overwhelming as it all was, he _was_ happy. He was about to marry the love of his life and possibly start a family with her.

It was more than he could have ever hoped for.

"You know that we've got your back," Lance added. "All of us. Hunk and Pidge would tell you the same thing if they were here."

"Perhaps now that you're going to be a king, Lance will finally listen to you," Sven lightly added.

"Nah," Lance decided with a dismissive gesture. "Where's the fun in that?"

Keith couldn't help but laugh.

"We're going to go now," Sven pointedly stated. "You should go and try to get some rest yourself. Because if everything goes the way I think it will, tomorrow is going to be a big day for you and Allura both."

"I will," he promised, "but not yet." He slightly tightened his hold on Allura's hand. "I'm going to stay here a little bit longer."

He didn't know how to explain his desire to stay near Allura. It wasn't that he was afraid something would happen if he were to turn his back for an instant. (He kept clinging to what Haggar had said just before he and Lance had been allowed to leave with Allura. The witch had insisted to Lotor that they wait until a baby is born before coming for Allura again. That would give them at least nine months to prepare even if she wasn't pregnant.) He just felt...peaceful in her presence. Just being in the same room as her... He just wasn't ready to walk away from it.

"We'll check in on both of you later," Sven told him. 

"Take care of yourself," Lance added. "I mean it."

He smiled at both of them. "Thanks."

"Let's go, Lance," Sven said and started walking away.

"In a minute," Lance let him know. To Keith, he said, "I know I gave you a lot of crap about keeping your feelings for Allura hidden from her, but you gotta admit I was right. Happiness looks good on you, Commander."

Keith gave another small smile.

"I'm really happy for the both of you. Yeah, the circumstances that got you together suck, but hey, you're together. And that's really all that matters."

"I wish that were the case," he sighed, returning his attention to the still-sleeping Allura. "I just want this whole ordeal to be over, but it won't be as long as Lotor is still out there. He's never going to stop coming for her." 

_Especially if Allura is carrying his baby,_ he silently added.

He would do anything to keep her and any of her children safe.

Even sacrifice his own life.

"He won't get her again," Lance assured him. "He got lucky this last time. It won't ever happen again."

"I hope you're right," Keith said, resisting the urge to touch her face again. He didn't want to risk waking her. "Because I don't know if she'd survive being his prisoner a second time."

"Don't worry. You're never going to have to find out," Lance asserted. "Allura is never going anywhere again."

Keith couldn't help but smile at Lance's certainty.

"I guess I'm just going to have to take your word for it."

"You'd better! Because I don't make those kind of promises to just anyone."

"Your minute is up," Sven called from the doorway. "Time to leave the man alone."

"Yeah, yeah," Lance mock-grumbled. "You can take the command away from the man... I'll see you later, Keith."

"You too."

Keith listened to the sound of the receding footsteps.

When they faded, he was once again alone with Allura.

"I love you," he whispered to her sleeping form.

And then he allowed his mind to wander to thoughts of a blissfully happy future with the love of his life.

The woman he would do anything to keep safe.

_Anything._

((())) 

With a contentedly purring Coba in her arms, Haggar stood at the front of the gathered throng that had come together to greet the returning Zarkon. (He had gone to "visit" with several governors of some of the more outlying worlds of his empire whose performance of their duties had been found to be lacking.) Beside her, Lotor was still fuming from the, as he put it, "temporary loss" of Allura and it was difficult to keep her amusement hidden.

Ever since the space explorers had "rescued" (if it could truly be called that since they had been allowed to leave) the princess, the prince had been in the throes of a temper tantrum. Despite his seeming acceptance of Haggar's plan to wait for a baby to be born before retrieving Allura, he had flown into a rage almost immediately after she had been taken away. He had then locked himself in the quarters he had given to Allura and all but destroyed the contents. (She had watched him through her crystal, finding his childish behavior highly entertaining.) He had not allowed anyone in until he was finished taking out his anger on every inanimate object he could get his hands on. (Haggar had been surprised that he had not punished the three slaves he had assigned to the Arusian princess as servants, but she supposed since they had been sleeping at the time of the "rescue," Lotor had no basis on which to blame any of it on them. After all, there was no need to deprive himself of their services until he had his "queen" back.) He had only emerged after being informed that his father had returned.

Zarkon of course knew everything that had transpired. Haggar had been sure to keep him informed of her progress since it was with his "permission" that she had enacted her plan to capture Allura. (It was so ironic that he had no idea that he had signed his own death warrant.) They had spoken at length during Lotor's self-confinement and devised a scheme to keep the prince occupied while waiting for his spawn to be born. (It would not do for him to attempt to recapture the princess beforehand.)

Haggar still had no proof that Allura was with child, but it was impossible for her not to be. Not after Lotor had spent all hours of the day, day after day, for nearly a week attempting to impregnate her. She would be able to confirm her assumption soon enough. She had no doubt that a pregnancy test would be one of the first tasks done once they had the princess back in her castle. Finding out was simply a matter of going to Arus and sending Coba into the castle to be her eyes.

Her attention was pulled back to the present as the hatch of Zarkon's ship opened and the king emerged, a pleased expression on his face.

"Welcome back, Sire," she greeted him as she was expected to. Lotor could have no idea that his father already knew that Allura was gone. "I trust your business was successful?"

"Of course it was, old witch!" Zarkon boomed as he made his way down the ramp. "Those spineless underlings learned that there is a price to be paid for their laziness. And although I was lenient with them this time, none of them will dare lose control of their domains again. Because if they do..."

He let the threat hang in the air, a move Haggar knew was calculated. Zarkon wanted _everyone_ who served under him to know that it was very rare that he gave second chances. And that he would not take it lightly if those chances were squandered.

Haggar knew that she was very fortunate that both her and the prince were the sole exceptions to that rule. (She had lost track of the number of "second chances" they had collectively accumulated.)

"So, my son," Zarkon continued, coming to a standstill right in front of both Lotor and Haggar. "I see that your bride-to-be is not with you. Has your frequent bedding of her left her so exhausted that she cannot come out to greet her soon-to-be father-in-law?"

Haggar held down the laugh that rose in her throat at the infuriated sound Lotor made at the crude remark. He was extremely sensitive to any presumed slights of his "love."

"No, Father," Lotor answered, trying and failing to disguise the rage in his voice. "Allura is no longer here. She was...removed by the accursed Voltron Force."

"Voltron?!" Zarkon seethed, pretending that this was news to him. "You mean to tell me that those puny humans broke into _my_ castle and you were unable to stop them? How incompetent can you be?!"

To his credit, Lotor did not flinch.

"Lotor made the only choice that would ensure the future of your dynasty, my king," Haggar smoothly interjected before Lotor could open his mouth in his own defense. "Any action on his part may have resulted in the death of the princess.

"And the child she carries within her."

Neither Zarkon nor Lotor knew that she was just assuming that Allura was pregnant. They believed she knew it to be a fact. But there was no need to correct them since it allowed her to manipulate them into doing exactly what she wanted.

"The old witch speaks true, Father," Lotor said. "The space explorers already had her in their possession when I finally caught up with them. I could not exterminate them without killing my love in the process. But I will not rest until she is back where she belongs. No matter how long it takes."

"I have advised my prince, wisely I might add, that it would be in his best interests to allow the princess to carry her baby to term before going after her," Haggar continued. "Arus is a more suitable environment for the princess during her pregnancy. Once the child is born, both of them can be easily retrieved and returned here."

"Yes, yes," Zarkon pretended to muse. He had already agreed to Haggar's plan to keep Lotor out of the way for the next several months. "You have a point, old witch. It makes sense to let the princess bear the brat before bringing her back here with it."

Haggar could feel Lotor's fury growing. Not only was he enraged that his need to have his future bride returned to him _now_ was being ignored, but he hated being told that he couldn't do something, even if it was indirectly. It only made him _more_ determined to do it anyway. 

"Sire, you understand that means there can be no attacks on Arus during this time," she pointed out, enjoying Lotor's impotent rage. This was literally the only way to keep him away from Arus. He had yet to disobey one of his father's direct commands. (It was her hope that this would change once Allura was his wife and she called on him to fulfill his end of their bargain.) "We must do everything we can to ensure that Lotor's heir is born healthy. We cannot risk either the child or the princess dying in an attack."

"A very good point, Haggar," Zarkon agreed. "Arus is such an insignificant world. I can wait a little longer before adding it to my empire once and for all."

"And Voltron will not be a threat to us as long as we stay away from Arus," Haggar added. "The weak humans only use the robot as a defensive weapon. They will not come after us on their own."

To her, this was the most brilliant part of her overall plan to appease Lotor with the princess. The Voltron Force, who was permanently down one pilot (they would never let the princess fly while she was with child or after she gave birth), only ever acted in a defensive capability. Even when they appeared on other worlds, it was at the behest of the people. They never took it upon themselves to attack first. As long as Zarkon prevented Lotor from sending robeasts and troops to attack Arus, the giant robot would have no reason to be formed. In one simple act, she had neutralized Voltron. (Which she strongly believed to be for good. Because after Lotor finally married the princess and Arus was permanently made a part of the empire...)

"I despise this idea of waiting to get my bride back!" Lotor burst out, unable to contain his fury any longer. "I want her back here now!" 

Haggar took a moment to compose herself before responding. It would not do to simply laugh in his face. Not if she wanted him to serve as her puppet ruler after Zarkon's demise.

"My prince," she said as calmly as possible. "I have repeatedly told you why that is unadvisable. If you want Allura to bear your child, she needs to remain on Arus until it is born."

_A child who will most likely be more intelligent than its father at birth,_ she mused.

Lotor was so laughably incompetent. It was a sad fact that one of the greatest leaders she had ever known had produced such a worthless heir.

Which, of course, was ultimately to her advantage. (Lotor was the perfect pawn to use against his father. His unintelligence and his ego made him so very easy to manipulate. However, the only truly important task she had for him was to produce the royal heir she needed to completely control the empire with. Beyond that, he was no longer actually necessary, but then again, she needed him to hold the throne until his child was of age. True, she could always find someone else for that role, but there was no telling how long it would take to find someone as pathetic as Lotor himself. It was best just to keep the prince appeased and in her debt.) 

"A child no longer matters," Lotor declared. "Now that Father has returned, it is simply a matter of having him perform the marriage ceremony as soon as I bring her back here. Once she is my queen, we can have children in our own time."

Shockingly, it was a valid point. (It was one of those rare moments where Lotor exhibited a modicum of intelligence. She doubted she'd witness another one any time soon.) Because once the Arusian princess was married to Lotor, she could not be "rescued" by the space explorers or anyone else. She would belong to Doom. 

"While that is true, my worthless son, I have no intention of performing that ceremony," Zarkon smoothly interjected.

"What?!" Lotor shrieked and Haggar had to struggle to keep from revealing her delight at his reaction. "But-"

"Not until you have proven yourself worthy of such a privilege," his father finished. "You want the princess as your queen, you must earn the right to have her."

"But Father-"

"But nothing!" Zarkon cut him off. "You may have succeeded in capturing her and bedding her, but you were unable to prevent her from being taken from you yet again."

"I had no-"

"Excuses!" the king interrupted him again. "All I ever hear from you are excuses! You have never once shown me the slightest bit of competence. You, my pathetic son, have done nothing but fail me time and time again! If you want me to marry you and the princess, you are going to have to prove to me that you deserve her."

Haggar silently watched Lotor as he struggled with the dilemma presented by his father. Zarkon had quickly and decisively shut down any attempt of an immediate retrieval of Allura. (She was impressed with how he was going about enacting her plans for her. She had simply told him Lotor needed to be kept occupied for the next several months. The details had been left to him.) And, even better, he had refused to marry them unless Lotor "proved" himself to his father. (A seemingly impossible task given Lotor's track record.) The king had truly left him little choice in the matter.

If he wanted to marry the princess, he had to do _exactly_ as his father commanded him.

"Tell me what I need to do," Lotor finally conceded.

"You, my son, are going to go on a trip," Zarkon began and Haggar fought the urge to smile at Lotor's shocked expression. "My own recently ended journey has left me worried that none of the planets in my empire are being properly run. I want you to visit a selection of them and, if you have to, correct the situation you find on each one. Do not show any leniency unless you feel it would be inadvisable to do otherwise. Competent help being so hard to find and all that. I will not tolerate my evil will not being completely enforced. You have my full authority to remove any one of my representatives who are not... _representing_ me as they should. Make examples of them. You do this and the Arusian princess will be made your queen immediately after you return."

To her surprise, Lotor did not protest the assignment. In fact, he seemed _pleased_ by it.

"Father, you will trust me with this task?"

"You are the only one with the royal authority to do this," Zarkon said without actually answering his son's question. (Which, to Haggar, meant that no, he didn't actually trust him.) "Complete this for me and I will never doubt your worth as my heir ever again."

Haggar didn't like the turn the conversation had taken, but she could not protest without giving away her true intentions. She needed Lotor away from both Doom and Arus for several months and it seemed this was the only way Zarkon had decided it could be done. But Lotor's eagerness to please his father worried her. If he completed this task to Zarkon's satisfaction and received the praise it seemed he craved, then her plans to use Lotor would be ruined.

Perhaps it was time to start looking for another who would rule for her in his place after all...

"I will leave at once!" Lotor vowed. "You have my word that I will not fail you."

"Your word means nothing!" Zarkon shot back and the prince instantly deflated. "I've had your word before and you have failed to live up to it."

Then again, maybe there wasn't any reason to worry at all.

((())) 

"The image should finish processing momentarily," Keyat, the Ebbian physician who had invited herself to Arus along with Doctor Gorma's ordered equipment, informed the occupants of the examination room as she glanced down at her monitor.

Allura tightened her grip on Keith's hand. Once that image was projected into the air, there would be a definitive answer as to whether or not she was pregnant.

"It's going to be all right no matter what the results," Keith quietly told her from where he sat in a chair beside her examination bed. "I promise. Everything's going to be just fine."

She wished she could believe him, but if she was pregnant, nothing would ever be the same again.

While she had often fantasized about having children with Keith, the reality that she could already be a mother right now terrified her. What was she going to do if she was? She knew next to nothing about babies except for what was common knowledge, such as the fact that they cried for just about everything. (She'd heard that the only times they didn't cry were when they were asleep or eating.) She had been so young when she'd lost her own mother that she barely remembered her. What if she wasn't ready to be one herself? What if she did everything wrong? What if she wasn't cut out to have children?

And then if that wasn't bad enough, there was the fact that Lotor was the father.

Which meant she and her child would never be left in peace as long as he was out there. He'd want both of them back. And he'd never rest until he had them.

How was she ever going to keep her baby safe from him? Would she have to raise her child in hiding to protect him or her from his clutches? What kind of life was that going to be? 

And of course she'd one day have to tell her poor child about his or her horrifying heritage.

Just the thought of that future conversation alone made her sick.

"Ah, here we go," Keyat cheerily announced, cutting into her wild, fear-fueled thoughts. "Let's see what's going on inside that body of yours."

Allura had taken an immediate liking to the young Ebbian female upon meeting her. She radiated friendliness as well as a never-take-no-for-an-answer attitude. (Keyat had seen Doctor Gorma's order for equipment when it had passed through her department at the central Ebbian medical center and decided it was a perfect opportunity to try out her newly developed nano-scanners in the field. Although her superiors had told her that she was not cleared for off-world assignments, she had boarded the delivery ship anyway. She had been very nonchalant about the trouble she was going to be in when she returned home.) She had quickly put Allura at ease about the procedure, explaining it step by step. (Instead of using a micro endoscope to examine her reproductive system, hundreds of nanoprobes would be released to map the interior on both a normal and microscopic scale.) In the end, the procedure had only taken less than twenty minutes to complete.

Within seconds, a holographic 3D image was projected into the air. It was strangely shaped and while Allura knew it was a recreation of the inside of her body, she honestly had no idea what part was what. (Her studies had never included biology, a subject that both Nanny and Coran had felt was irrelevant to her future role of queen.)

"I'm now adding the microscopic overlay," Keyat continued. "If Her Highness is pregnant, the morula or blastocyst, depending on how many days along she is, will be indicated."

Allura squeezed Keith's hand even tighter as the image changed.

This was it. The moment of truth.

A tiny blinking dot appeared in the image.

Her stomach dropped as her worst fears were confirmed.

_Oh, no..._

Tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"No, no," she murmured, shaking her head. "Oh, gods, no."

Keith pulled her into his arms as much as his position allowed him to.

"It's going to be all right, my love," he soothingly spoke, stroking her back. "We're going to get through this together. I'm going to be with you every step of the way. You have nothing to worry about. I promise." 

She clung to him as she cried, feeling overwhelmed and frightened despite his calm reassurances. It was all too much.

What was she going to do? 

"That's interesting," Keyat suddenly commented and she began to type into her keyboard.

Curious despite herself, Allura looked up from where she had buried her face against Keith's chest.

"What is it?" Doctor Gorma, who had been present for the procedure, wanted to know.

The image disappeared and was replaced by another. Within it, was a strange spherical object that appeared to be made up of round pieces.

"Did you notice how high up in the fallopian tube these blastomeres are?" Keyat pointed out. "And based on the number of cleavages, this mass clearly hasn't reached the morula stage yet. If I had a guess, I would say that Her Highness is perhaps a day, possibly two days along."

Allura couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd only been pregnant a day or two? But she'd only been rescued...

_By all the gods!_

"What is it?" Keith questioned in a low voice.

She shook her head, not wanting to tell him because she knew how he'd react.

It would kill him to know that if he'd only come for her one day sooner...

"You said you were guessing how far along she was," Keith spoke up. "Is there any way to know the exact timeline?"

"No, unfortunately, there is not," Keyat let him know. "The only way to even approximate a nearly exact date would be to count the individual blastomeres and, based on the most common rate of cellular division, try to calculate backwards to determine the time of conception. But even then it wouldn't be an exact figure. Every zygote begins to divide at different times."

Allura's heart clenched as she realized Keith had come to the same devastating conclusion she had.

"It is an interesting question though," Keyat commented. "Why do you ask?"

Allura felt Keith's arms tighten around her.

"Do I have your word that you won't repeat what I'm about to say to anyone outside of this room?" 

"Of course, Commander," Doctor Gorma assured him. "You have full confidentiality from the both of us."

"All right," Keith acknowledged. "The reason I'm asking is because Allura and I were...intimate on the return home. Is there any chance at all that I'm the father of her baby?"

Keith's words took her completely by surprise.

It was something she hadn't even considered. She had been so certain that she was already pregnant when she had asked Keith to make love to her that the possibility hadn't even crossed her mind. Had she been wrong? Could _he_ be the father?

She prayed that he was.

"Anything is possible, of course," Keyat told him. "There have been cases where conception has occurred as early as thirty minutes after intercourse. But there's also the fact that spermatozoa can live up to three days in a woman's body. To be honest, the probability of the child being yours is extremely low."

"But the possibility is still there," Keith pressed.

"Yes, the possibility is still there," Keyat conceded. "When Her Highness has entered her second trimester, we will be able to check the fetus's DNA. Until then, there's no way to determine paternity."

Allura looked up at Keith.

"I want you to be the father more than anything," she told him.

"Biologically related or not, I will always to the father to any children you have," he reminded her. "But I want this baby to be mine too." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "For more reasons that I can say."

"Why don't we leave the two of you alone to talk," Doctor Gorma suggested. "When you're ready to go back to your room, press the call button and someone will come to help you."

"Thank you, Doctors," Keith said. "We both appreciate everything that you've done for us so far."

"I'm far from finished with Her Highness yet," Keyat informed them. "I'd like to remain as her doctor for the duration of her pregnancy. If that is all right with you, of course, Your Highness."

Allura smiled. "I'd like nothing more. Thank you."

Keyat smiled in return. "I'm going to ensure that this pregnancy goes as smoothly for you as possible."

With a final nod from Doctor Gorma, the two physicians left.

"So," Keith began after a few moments, "tell me what you're feeling."

"A million things," she answered. "Too many things. But mostly I'm scared."

"What are you the most afraid of? That Lotor's the father?"

She shook her head. 

"Then what, my love?"

"That I'll be a terrible mother," she confessed. "I don't know the first thing about having a baby."

He gave her one of his gentle smiles that she loved so much.

"First of all, you are going to be an amazing mother," he informed her. "And the reason I know this is because you are the most amazing person I've ever known. And second, you aren't going through this alone. You not only have me, but everyone in this castle. Your entire family is with you. We all love you and we're all going to help you any way we can. All right?"

She gave him a tiny smile of her own. "Even Nanny?"

He laughed out loud.

Nanny had yet to speak to either one of them since finding out that Keith had not lied to her about his Arusian heritage and his eligibility to marry the princess. Coran had assured them that she would be fine in a few days. She just needed some time to "adjust".

"Even Nanny," he said.

And then he kissed her.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes:    
After a very long wait, which I profusely apologize for, here is the second part of "Aftermath." It is now July 2016 and all I can tell you is that work and home life as well as a several-month-long return to the Star Wars fandom interrupted my writing of this story. I hope that you will enjoy this update, which contains an event that I'm sure many Keith and Allura fans have been waiting for.   
Just a reminder that this and all of my "Voltron" stories take place in the "Voltron Force" version of the universe.   
Please contact me with any questions or comments.   
Thank you and I hope you have enjoyed the story. 

  
  
  
  


Lance took one step into Allura's infirmary room before coming to a complete stop. Although he was following Keith's instructions to arrive at exactly this time (it was all part of Keith's plan to surprise Allura with their wedding that evening), he couldn't bring himself to immediately disturb the scene before him.

Keith had gotten into Allura's bed with her and he was holding her in his arms while they quietly talked. On the bed with them were four of Allura's "friends," the cybernetic space mice. The bizarre animals (they were the weirdest little critters, but Allura's love of them gave them free reign of the entire castle) had curled up into tiny balls next to the princess's legs. (Lance had a feeling that if Keith wasn't there, they'd be laying on top of her instead.)

Lance knew that Keith would not be happy with him if he didn't follow-to the letter- the schedule Keith and Nanny (with whom Keith had made peace three days ago) had worked out. Keith was adamant that everything had to be perfect for Allura. But Lance was hesitant to interrupt them. After all, this kind of alone time was going to become scarce for them once the baby arrived. Their days of peace and quiet and romantic interludes were numbered! (Babies were not known for taking their parents' need for privacy into consideration!) 

He smiled as he took in how happy and relaxed the two of them looked. He didn't think he'd ever seen Keith like this before, even when he had been with that piece of work Whitney. (Before the truth about her intentions came to light, Keith had been genuinely in love with her.) The princess was the best thing to ever happen to him and vice versa. Allura herself was practically glowing in his arms. Honestly, if it weren't for the fading facial bruises, the arm in the sling, or the two leg casts, no one would know she'd just been through a hellish ordeal. Keith's love was the best medicine for whatever ailed her.

Deciding that he'd waited long enough, he announced his presence by loudly clearing his throat and saying, "You know, if you weren't already in one, I'd tell you guys to get a room."

At the sudden sound of his voice, the four space mice jumped up and quickly scurried out of sight. 

"Lance!" Allura happily greeted him, not paying the slightest bit of attention to her fleeing friends. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you all day!"

"You have your perfect boyfriend here to thank for that," he honestly told her. (And it _was_ the truth. Keith and Nanny had had him, Sven, Pidge, and Hunk running all over the place to get things ready for the ceremony all morning. Though there had been nothing yet to top Sven having to fly all the way back to Pollux to get something for Romelle the day before.) "Don't let all this lovey-dovey stuff fool you. The man is a slave driver!"

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Slave driver? Really?"

In order to keep Allura from suspecting anything, Lance had not been given any specific instructions other than to tell Keith that Coran needed him for something. The goal was to get him out of the room so Nanny, Romelle, and Larmina could come in and throw her a shower that would turn into actual wedding preparations. As long as the end result was what Keith wanted, which was the act of Keith leaving the room, he didn't see any reason why he couldn't have a little fun while he was at it.

And he had the perfect little thing in mind, too...

"Yes, really!" Lance shot back. "You have me and the guys doing all of the work while you're sitting here on your behind and making out with the princess."

Allura's face turned bright red.

"Spouting orders without lifting a finger to help? If that's not a slave driver, I don't know what is," he concluded, hiding his amusement at how easily Allura got embarrassed. (And he hadn't even said the really inappropriate stuff yet!) He directed his next words at her. "Are you still sure you want to marry this guy?"

Allura snuggled closer against Keith, who tightened his hold around her. "More than anything."

"Hopeless!" he declared with a shake of his head. 

"Did you have an actual reason for coming in here or did you just want to insult me?" Keith prompted.

It was the perfect opening and if what he was about to say didn't accomplish his goal of getting Keith out of the room, nothing would!

"You know, Allura, now that I have you and your boyfriend alone, there's something I've been wondering for days," he started, knowing that this was not likely to end well for him, but he couldn't help himself. (Although the fact that he had had sex with Allura had not been mentioned since he had initially told Keith about it, Lance knew it was probably still very much on Keith's mind. After all, the privilege of being her first time should have been his.) "Who's the better lover? Me or Keith?"

The expressions on both of their faces were priceless. (So very worth the punishment that was sure to come as soon as he and Keith were out of the room!) 

"W-hat?!" Allura gasped, her face turning even redder than before.

"You heard me," he continued as Keith gently pulled Allura away from him and set her back on her pillows without saying a single word. (Yep, he was a dead man! It was never a good thing when Keith went silent.) "You've been with both of us. I just want to know who you thought was better. Me or him. And if it's him, I demand a do-over."

"Okay, that's it," Keith spoke up, standing from the bed and folding his arms. "It's time for you to leave. You-"

"Coran wants to see you!" Lance cut him off.

Keith mouthed a "really?" at him before saying aloud for Allura's benefit "And you couldn't just say that in the first place?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

Keith just rolled his eyes.

"Okay, let's not keep Coran waiting any longer," he went on, knowing Keith was more than a little annoyed at him for what he had just said. (He knew he was going to get an earful as soon as they were out of Allura's hearing range, but it was worth it for the shocked look on Keith's face.) "I think he's got something royal to tell you about or something. I wasn't really paying attention when he sent me to get you."

"So what else is new?" Keith commented, continuing to play along despite whatever comeuppance he was currently plotting. (The man was so very good at hiding his feelings. It was definitely a gift!) He then turned back around to Allura. "I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

She nodded, her face starting to go back to its normal color. "I love you."

"I love you too," he told her before giving her a gentle kiss.

"All right, all right already. We get it. The two of you love each other. Enough with the face sucking!" Lance mock-grumbled as they separated. "The both of you really are sickening."

Allura giggled, proving she was over her embarrassment and shock. "Just wait until you fall in love, Lance," she told him. "See if you feel the same way then."

"And why would I do a foolish thing like that?" he teasingly replied. "How could I deny all the beautiful ladies out there a chance to spend a little time with me? Falling in love would do them a terrible disservice! I owe it to all of them to stay single!" 

"And it also lessens the chances of you reproducing," Keith interjected, grabbing him by the arm and tugging on it so he'd start walking. "The last thing we need is little copies of you terrorizing future generations of women."

"He's just jealous!" Lance declared to Allura as he was pulled away. "Always has been and always will be."

Allura giggled again. 

"I knew I should have asked Hunk or Sven to come get me," Keith groaned under his breath as they moved away from Allura's bed. "Remind me again why I asked you?"

"Because you love me," he shot back. "But mostly because I'm the best at improvising. You really think either Hunk or Sven could have pulled this off as masterfully as I did?"

"Define 'masterfully'," Keith challenged. "And I can't believe you asked Allura that inappropriate and ridiculous question. What were you thinking?" 

Instead of answering, he looked over his shoulder and called, "I'm still waiting for my answer, Princess!"

Allura turned red all over again and Keith forcefully pulled Lance out of the infirmary room door.

"Hey! You didn't even give me a chance to hear her answer!" he mock complained as the door slid shut behind them.

"Hear her answer to what?" Nanny, who was waiting just outside the door with Romelle, Larmina, and, surprisingly, Keyat, demanded to know. "What kinds of improper things are you asking my poor baby?"

"Trust me, it's better that you don't know," Keith assured her. 

"That bad, huh?" Romelle commented.

"Maybe I should tell them so they can judge for themselves," Lance quipped.

"Please do!" Keyat spoke up. "You know I find everything about you so very...fascinating."

And then she winked at him.

_Oh, boy!_

Lance had no idea how or why it started (for once, he hadn't initiated anything), but the Ebbian doctor had been shamelessly flirting with him for days.

While on the one hand it was flattering (what guy didn't like a woman showing interest in him?), he was not at all attracted to the alien female. She just wasn't his type! (For one thing, she was too educated!)

"Um, you ladies have a good time in there with the princess and we'll see you when it's time for the ceremony," he said as he started moving towards the infirmary exit. The quicker he got away from Keyat, the better! "Come on, Keith."

"In a second," he waved him off. "Thank you all for your help with this," he said to the gathered group. "It means so much to Allura and me."

"So go already so we can get started!" Nanny replied, gesturing at him with the shooing motion. "We'll handle it from here. Your beloved is in good hands. Just see that you're back at the proper time."

"I'll be here," Keith promised.

He walked away, joining Lance where he was waiting.

"Let's go someplace where we can have a little talk before we regroup with the others," Keith said, draping his arm around Lance's shoulders.

"Let me guess. I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"You have no idea."

((())) 

Allura stared at the just vacated door in disbelief. How could Lance have asked her such a thing? (She was sure he had meant it to be funny, but still!) First of all, it was none of his business! And second of all, how could he even _think_ she'd compare him to the love of her life? (There _was_ no comparison to Keith. Period.) While she'd be forever grateful to him for what he'd done to help her, it was part of the horrifying experience she wanted to put completely behind her. What in the name of all the gods had he been thinking to ask her that?

She hoped Keith didn't chastise Lance too badly for his inappropriate question. She knew he hadn't meant any harm, but she didn't understand why he didn't realize that their shared experience was not a joking matter. It had been an act of kindness in a desperate situation. Trying to turn it into the center of a joke was just wrong. 

Deciding to put Lance's tasteless humor out her mind, she turned her thoughts to the many possible things Coran could need to speak with Keith about. After they were married and he was officially crowned king, he would have to assume numerous new responsibilities in addition to the ones he already had. He had so much to learn in a very short time! Unlike her, he hadn't been born into royalty and he hadn't been raised to fulfill these roles the way she had. He would be expected to be able to begin performing them the moment he became king.

A sudden thought came to her: what if it was all too much for him? Keith hadn't said anything (he _never_ said anything he didn't think she wanted to hear), but what if he felt that he couldn't handle it all? What if he became too overwhelmed and decided that he no longer wanted to be king? What if he didn't want- 

Her spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a loud commotion unexpectedly bursting into her room. 

"I still say what you're doing to him is just plain mean," Romelle was saying as she, Nanny, Larmina, and Keyat came into her room.

Following behind them were Taral, Gwenna, and Crystel, three of the castle maids, pushing covered serving carts. (Because there were so few servants in the castle, Allura made it a point to know each and every one of them by name.) 

"Oh, but it's so much fun to see him squirm," Keyat answered and Allura wondered who they were talking about. "From what I've heard about him, it's about time a woman turned the tables on him."

"I agree with Aunt Romelle," Larmina spoke up. "Lance needs to learn that there are some girls who aren't going to fall over at the sight of him."

"Is there something going on with Lance that I need to know about?" Allura wanted to know, curious to find out what he had done now and why it had caused her new doctor to be "mean" to him.

As she well knew, Lance said whatever he wanted to say to whomever he wanted to say it to without thinking about the consequences first. It had led to more than a few cheek slaps from scandalized women. 

"Yeah, Keyat is crazy flirting with him and it's scaring the pants off of him!" Larmina happily told her, surprising Allura. "It's _so_ funny! He can't get away from her fast enough!"

"Tell me everything!" Allura urged, sitting up as best as her injuries would let her. 

This was a story she _had_ to hear! 

One of Lance's most endearing qualities to her was his shamelessness in flirting with almost every woman he encountered. She would have thought he would have _loved_ to meet a woman who could give as good as she got! So why was Keyat's reversal having the opposite effect on him? She was extremely curious to find out. 

"I still say it's not right," Romelle interjected as they all grabbed chairs from around the room and set them up around the bed. "The man is annoying but harmless. I don't think any of the women he goes after takes him too seriously. The way you two are talking it makes it sound like he has women on every planet he's ever visited!"

"Lance would like to think that he _does,_ " Allura put in as they all sat down. "So tell me why he's reacting this way when he finally does have a woman who responds back with interest?"

Keyat and Larmina looked at each other for a moment before bursting out with uncontrollable laughter.

"What? What did I say?" Allura asked, completely confused.

"Lance never made a move on Keyat," Romelle explained. "Larmina was telling her about the team and when she heard about Lance's...um...habit of flirting, she...well, she decided that it was time to give him a taste of his own medicine."

"What? You didn't!" Allura exclaimed, finally seeing why the situation was so funny. 

"I saw an opportunity to teach a lesson and I took it," Keyat shrugged. "I know from experience not all males appreciate a forward female. Thankfully my Terin did."

"Terin?" Romelle repeated.

"My fiancé," Keyat matter-of-factly stated.

"Wait, you're engaged?!" Larmina wanted to know.

"Quite happily," Keyat informed her. "And he approves of my actions. He agrees that there was a lesson to be taught."

"No way!" Larmina laughed. "That can't be true!"

Keyat shrugged again. "Terin and I both like to correct injustices wherever we see that. It's part of why we get along so well."

Allura couldn't help but laugh at Keyat's declaration of Lance's flirting as an "injustice." An annoyance to women maybe, but an injustice?

"All right, that's enough of this foolishness," Nanny interrupted the conversation, sounding annoyed. "I don't want to hear anymore talk of that hooligan and his improper behavior. We are here to help your princess celebrate her upcoming marriage and that's that."

"Celebrate?" Allura repeated, completely caught off-guard by the sudden switch in topics. "What do you-"

"We're throwing you a bridal shower!" Larmina declared.

"A bridal what?" Allura wanted to know. What were they talking about?

"A bridal shower," Nanny told her. "Your intended and his companions have informed me that this is a very old Earth tradition going back hundreds of years and they felt that it is very important that you experience it." She gestured to the patiently waiting maids and they each uncovered their cart. One cart had sweets, the second had beverages, and the third had all sorts of wrapping paper-encased boxes. "I was told that while the original purpose was to present the bride with items to use in her future home, over the years it became a simple celebration of the upcoming wedding."

Allura was too overcome to speak. It was clear from the quantity of refreshments and gifts that putting this together had not been a small undertaking. A lot of effort had gone into preparing this shower for her.

She was more touched than she could ever express.

And she had no doubt whose idea it had ultimately been...

"Will the boys and Coran be joining us?" she wanted to know as Nanny began to help the maids set up the food. 

After all, it was Keith's wedding too and it would only be right to include him in the celebration. 

"Nope, it's just us girls," Romelle told her. "The better to talk about the boys behind their backs!"

Allura giggled as Larmina added, "There'll be a lot less kissing too!"

"Larmina!" Nanny scolded while she worked. 

"What? You know it's true!" the girl defended herself. "Aunt Allura and Keith's faces are practically glued to each other when they're together." She looked back at Allura. "Sometimes I wonder how long it will be before you break for air!"

"Are we that bad?" Allura questioned, knowing that there was more than a little truth to Larmina's words. She and Keith _did_ spend a lot of time kissing, which she admittedly loved doing. 

She couldn't get enough of his kisses if she tried...

"The worst," Romelle teased, "but considering how long it took the two of you to find each other, it's understandable. You'll start getting tired of each other soon enough!"

"Never!" Allura declared.

Sure, Keith could drive her crazy with his over protectiveness and his stubbornness, but those were just parts of his personality. And it was that personality that made her love him more than anything. 

"When you start complaining about your husband in ten years, I'll remind you of this conversation," her cousin shot back. 

"It will never happen," Allura firmly stated. 

"That's what they all say," Keyat interjected. "Right before they start complaining!"

"All right, ladies, that's enough," Nanny spoke up over the laughter. "There is no need to discuss the future relationship of your king and queen. Especially before they are married! Now, on to more appropriate subjects. So, Princess, what would you like to do first? Would you like some of the refreshments or would you prefer to open your presents?"

"Ooh, presents!" Larmina cried before Allura had a chance to consider an answer. "Pick presents! You so have to open mine first! It's awesome!"

Allura couldn't help but smile at her niece's enthusiasm. 

"How can I say 'no' to an 'awesome' present," she said, curious what the eleven-year-old had gotten her. Larmina's tastes ran to the action-themed variety, such as martial arts and sports. "Please bring it to me so I can open it."

"Coming right up!" Larmina cheered, jumping up from her chair and going to the cart covered with wrapped gifts. "You're going to love it!" 

"I know I will," Allura assured her.

And it was the truth. She would love it simply because Larmina had given it to her.

"Got it!" Larmina declared as she picked up a gift from the top of the pile.

To Allura's surprise, the box was not very large.

_I wonder what it is?_

Larmina hurried back to the bed and plopped the gift in her aunt's lap.

"Open it," she instructed.

And Allura did.

((())) 

Keith entered his quarters and, closing his eyes, leaned back against the door after it had slid shut behind him.

"Exhausted" didn't even begin to describe how worn out he was. For what was going to be a small ceremony, the preparations had been astronomical.

Nanny refused to have it any other way. 

Her "baby" was going to have a proper wedding and reception, no matter how small, and that was that!

Making peace with Allura's governess had possibly been one of the hardest things he'd ever done and that _was_ counting the numerous battles and missions he had participated in! Nanny was more stubborn than both he and Allura combined and she had made her opinion on a non-royal husband for the princess very clear. ("Having noble blood is not the same thing as being a noble," she had declared when he'd first started talking to her.) She had kept her back turned to him while he tried to put into words how much he loved and cared for Allura and that she felt the same way towards him. But in the end, her desire for her "baby" to be happy won out over her objections to the marriage. 

Well, that and Keith's promise that she could handle most of the wedding arrangements. 

_That,_ apparently, was all it took to once again be in Nanny's good graces. The moment those words had passed his lips and he saw her turn around with her eyes lit up, he'd _known_ he'd won the battle. 

Within moments of being put in charge, she had run off to get started, leaving a stunned Keith alone in her wake. 

When he'd gone to Coran to report on his talk with Nanny, the royal advisor had congratulated him on his diplomatic skills. (It had taken less than a half hour to win Nanny over.) And then he'd laughingly informed Keith that he'd just unleashed a monster. And that he'd be wise to wait until after the wedding to inform her of Allura's pregnancy. (Both Nanny and Larmina had been purposely excluded from learning about the pregnancy. Larmina, because she was so young, and Nanny, because she'd overreact as she always did.)

Keith couldn't have agreed more. If she was this bad about a single event, there was no telling what she'd be like for a baby! (Keith could already picture the kind of lavish nursery Nanny would insist on putting together!)

For the past three days, Nanny had run the team ragged with the preparations despite being told repeatedly that the wedding was going to be small and intimate. (Keith was lucky he had gotten her to at least agree to a schedule. If it was up to her, the planning would have taken months.) She'd given Hunk, Lance, Pidge, and Sven every job imaginable, sending them all over the castle at all hours. Not even Romelle and Larmina had escaped job assignments. Keith, on the other hand, had been tasked with studying royal responsibility and etiquette so he'd be ready to assume his new role as king upon marriage, as well as complete the various errands assigned to him. The only quiet time he'd gotten in the past few days was the hours he spent with Allura, which he treasured. 

He smiled as he thought about his princess.

She was getting better with every passing day. She was still very weak and slept most of the time, but she was able to stay awake for longer and longer periods. (She was up to three consecutive hours without napping.) Although she still had very little appetite, Doctor Gorma had started reintroducing solid food to her diet the evening before. Both he and Keyat were very pleased with the progress of her recovery. They were confident that she'd be able to leave the infirmary within the next week, something Allura was very excited about-though she'd still be under constant medical care because of her injuries.

Much to his relief, Doctor Gorma had declared that Keith was to be her primary caregiver outside of the infirmary. Since they would be married by the time she was discharged, his position as her husband gave him the most rights to assist her with the more intimate tasks that she would be unable to perform herself. (Nanny had been greatly insulted by the fact that she had not been given the role and had stormed out of Allura's room. But Coran had been able to eventually calm her down by explaining that as newlyweds, they would need time to adjust to living together. Having to call Nanny every time Allura needed to relieve herself would interrupt the process.) And, more importantly, there was no one else that Allura was as comfortable being around. She was more likely to immediately ask for assistance from him than she would anyone else.

To make sure that everything was ready for her release, Keith had already begun to move his belongings into her chambers. It was a good starting space for them, but it was understood that they would eventually have to move elsewhere in the castle to accommodate their growing family. (They hadn't discussed how many children they'd ultimately have, but it would be at least two. They had both been only children and did not want that for their own offspring.) Although they had quite some time before they would need to change quarters, Coran had suggested they take the old king and queen's rooms, an idea Allura herself was not comfortable with. (Allura felt that if they moved into her parents' chambers, they would be erasing their presence from the castle, which was something she could not bear to do. Both Keith and Coran had assured her that that would not be the case, but she had said that she wouldn't believe it until she had spoken with her father.) (Allura was also experiencing a great deal of guilt over the fact that she had not thought of her father very often during her imprisonment. Her sole focus had been on Keith and her feelings for him. She wanted to visit his tomb as soon as she got out of the infirmary, which Keith promised he would make happen. He doubted King Alfor was anything other than relieved that she was home safe and sound.) Thankfully, any decisions about future living arrangements could wait until they had at least a second child. 

But of course, all of that had to wait until _after_ they were married, which was happening in a matter of hours. 

With that thought, Keith opened his eyes and pushed himself away from the door. As good as it would feel to rest, he didn't have much time before the ceremony. And the last thing he wanted was to be late to his own wedding!

He crossed over to his bed where his laundered and freshly-pressed dress uniform had been laid out for him.

He checked the time on his Voltcom and then he started to change his clothes.

In less than two hours, he and Allura would be getting married.

((())) 

"All right, you can open your eyes...now."

Allura did as Romelle commanded and was startled to find her own reflection looking back at her.

A full-length mirror had been placed at the foot of the bed and angled so she could see herself. 

"Oh, Nanny... Romelle..." she murmured, tears filling her eyes as she took in her appearance. 

The two of them had spent the last two hours preparing her for her wedding.

Her _wedding_!

She and Keith were getting married today! She couldn't believe that it was really happening! (The whole thing had been planned in secret. She'd been completely taken by surprise when she'd been told that it was taking place that evening.) She was so happy that if she were able, she'd be dancing around the entire castle! 

Nanny had done her hair, dividing it into multiple braids and intricately arranging them on top of her head. Romelle had taken care of her make-up, applying just enough to her face to enhance her features without irritating her healing bruises and cuts, which were still visible beneath the cosmetics. And around her neck and dangling from her ears was the jewelry that Nanny had given her as one of her shower gifts. 

"Stop those tears at once!" Nanny ordered, blotting the princess's cheeks. "You'll ruin your make-up!"

"Let her be," Romelle interjected. "Make-up can always be fixed." She smiled at her cousin. "You look absolutely beautiful."

"Thanks to you," Allura replied, meaning it.

"I didn't do anything but put a little make-up on your face and provide a dress," Romelle waved her off. "It was just hanging in my closet."

That was one of the biggest understatements Allura had ever heard in her life. The dress, which was strapless and made of a beautiful white material, had been completely altered to accommodate her injuries. The entire back had been split apart, the zipper removed and replaced with ribbon lacing. (The time that must have taken to do!) They had been able to easily slip it onto her without disturbing her injured shoulder or legs or getting in the way of the multiple tubes and lines attached to various parts of her body. (Sven had been sent all the way back to Pollux to pick it up. The fact that he'd made that extra trip just so she'd have a wedding dress touched her deeply.) Wearing it made her feel more beautiful than she had in a long time.

"That doesn't change the fact that it means a lot to me," Allura countered. "Thank you again." She turned to Nanny. "Both of you."

"Ooh, now look what you've done!" Nanny grumbled, wiping at her eyes. "Now I'm crying too!"

"I'm sure there's going to be a lot more crying before this evening is over," Romelle knowingly pointed out with a smile.

"What about you?" Allura asked, teasingly. "Do you think you'll cry too?"

Romelle had been the only one throughout the entire bridal shower and wedding preparations that hadn't shed a single tear.

"We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" she shot back as she stood up and walked over to the table where she'd placed the veil that she'd had made to go with the dress. (Allura didn't know how she'd ever be able to repay her cousin for her amazing generosity.)

"One last touch and then it will be time to bring in the others."

She picked up the veil and brought it over to Allura's bed.

"I can't believe this is actually happening," Allura breathed. "I've wanted it for so long and now it's finally coming true. It almost doesn't seem real."

"Believe me, it's very real," Romelle assured her, sitting beside her on the edge of the bed. "Otherwise, why has Nanny been bossing us around for the past three days?"

Allura gave a small laugh as Romelle started attaching the veil to the top of her hair.

Nanny made an indignant noise and folded her arms. "I work extremely hard to put together a wedding on short notice and this is the thanks I get? Without me, I'm sure Princess and the commander would have simply signed the marriage certificate and have been done with it. What sort of wedding would that have been for royalty?"

"Honestly, that was all I was expecting," Allura truthfully told her and Nanny's expression instantly softened. "I never imagined that all of you would go through all of this trouble just for me and Keith."

"Oh, my baby," Nanny murmured, coming to sit on her other side. "You deserve all this and more. My sweet princess."

Allura leaned over and kissed the woman who had raised her on her cheek.

"I love you, Nanny."

"I love you too, my precious darling," Nanny replied, fresh tears running down her face. "And now, please, stop this crying!" She started blotting at both Allura's face and her own. "Romelle worked very hard at your make-up!"

"It'll take a lot more than a few tears to mess up her eyes," Romelle declared as she gently pushed Nanny out of the way. To Allura, she ordered, "Hold still for a moment," as she reached up and arranged the veil so that it was draped down over her face. "There. Now you're ready."

Allura looked at herself once again in the mirror. 

"I look like a bride," she barely whispered, new tears dripping from her eyes. "I'm really getting married."

"Yes, you do and you are," Romelle said as she stood from the bed while Nanny reached under Allura's veil in an attempt to dry her eyes yet again. 

She walked over to where the mirror stood at the foot of the bed and pushed it away, placing it against the wall. 

"Are you ready for me to bring in your groom?" she asked.

Allura's heart sped up at the thought of seeing Keith. It had been hours since he'd left her side, and silly as it was, she missed him despite knowing he was still in the castle. (Her imprisonment on Doom was still too fresh and she felt his every absence deeply.)

"Yes, please."

Romelle simply smiled again and walked over to the door. She pressed the panel and it slid open.

"You can all come in now," she called, moving away from the doorway.

The first one to enter the room was Keith and Allura's breath was instantly taken away at the sight of him.

Her beloved was an incredibly handsome man to begin with, but there was something about him as he came into her room that made him appear even more gorgeous to her than usual. She didn't know if it was the fact that he was wearing his dress uniform (she'd only seen him in it a couple of times over the years) or if it was the way he was smiling at her, but she couldn't take her eyes off of him.

How had she gotten so lucky to have someone like him fall in love with her?

And, more importantly, want to marry her?

Then his eyes locked with hers and all of her swirling thoughts simply fell away.

It was as if the two of them were completely alone.

He started towards her from across the room and her breathing sped up in anticipation.

Because once he reached her bedside, it meant that this wedding was truly happening.

Allura barely noticed anyone else filing into the room. Keith was her entire world.

Finally, he arrived at her bed. Sitting down on the edge beside her, he said, "Hi."

"Hi," she smiled back, new tears forming in her eyes.

"You look absolutely beautiful, my princess. Are you ready to become my wife?" he asked, lifting the veil from her face.

"I've been ready since almost the day we met," she informed him.

He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss. "I thought as much, which is why I didn't want you to have to wait any longer than you had to. I take it you like your surprise?"

"I can't believe you did all of this for me," she said. "I'm overwhelmed."

"I know you said you'd have been all right simply signing a marriage certificate, but I didn't want to deprive you of having a real wedding," he told her. "You _deserve_ a real wedding, my love. And I was determined to give you one. It was very important to me that this day be special for you."

"I love you so much," she replied, fresh tears spilling down her face. His words moved her deeply.

"I love you too," he echoed, kissing her again. "You mean everything to me, Allura. _Everything._ "

"You mean everything to me too. I can't wait to begin our life together."

The sound of a clearing throat broke into their private conversation.

"I apologize for the interruption," Coran began, "but we were wondering when you'd like to begin the ceremony."

"Oh, Coran, I'm so sorry!" Allura apologized, embarrassed by her lack of manners.

She'd been so focused on Keith that she'd nearly forgotten that they weren't alone.

Looking out into the room, she saw the entire rest of the Voltron Force, all in their dress uniforms, as well as Sven, Romelle, Nanny, Larmina, Keyat, and Doctor Gorma.

She even saw her friends peering down from a place along the wall near the ceiling.

They were all there to celebrate her and Keith's marriage.

"You have no reason to be sorry," Romelle spoke instead. "We all love seeing the two of you so happy and so clearly in love."

"Though you may want to tone things down in the future," Lance chimed in. "You two are sickenly sweet!"

"Lance!" Hunk admonished him. "Be nice!"

"I really don't think that's possible," Sven commented.

"All right, all right, if you gentlemen will allow me, I would like to begin," Coran interjected. "Now, let me start by saying that, at Keith's suggestion, we are not performing either a traditional Earth or Arusian ceremony. Together we have created something that represents the best of both worlds, as does this couple before us."

Keith took Allura's good hand in both of his. 

"Keith, please repeat after me," Coran continued. "I, Keith Kogane.."

"I, Keith Kogane..."

"Take Her Royal Highness, Princess Allura, daughter of Alfor.."

"Take Her Royal Highness, Princess Allura, daughter of Alfor..."

"As my wife and queen..."

"As my wife and queen..."

Allura couldn't hold back the tears as she listened to Keith recite his vows that would tie them together for the rest of their lives.

The words were beautiful and she could feel that he meant every word as he said them.

"...For as long as we both shall live," Coran finished.

"For as long as we both shall live," Keith echoed, smiling at her for the first time as her husband.

She smiled back as Coran said, "Your Highness, please repeat after me. I, Princess Allura, daughter of Alfor..."

"I, Princess Allura, daughter of Alfor..."

((())) 

Keith lay awake on his cot in Allura's dim infirmary room, contentedly watching his wife as she soundly slept.

The surprise wedding had been a complete success and Allura, who had thoroughly tired herself out with all of the celebrating, had had an even more wonderful time than he could have ever hoped. She'd talked and laughed and just fully enjoyed herself all evening. She'd reveled in all of the attention lavished upon her, though it was clear that she was embarrassed by some of it too. (Lance's constant jokes about her having an affair with him were the main culprits of her discomfort. It was yet another thing he'd have to have a word with his friend about. The list just kept growing and growing!) The only time she'd briefly come down from her high was when, after they had been left alone following the party's end, he'd informed her that their wedding night would be spent doing nothing other than sleeping. (She'd pouted as he explained that Doctor Gorma had forbidden her from engaging in any sexual activity until after her internal injuries had fully healed. But she'd been appeased when he promised to make it up to her as soon as she received the all clear from the doctor.) He had wanted more than anything to give her a wedding to remember and, based on her extreme joy, he felt that he had done just that.

Well, _Nanny_ had actually done that. She was the one who had put everything together in just three days, which absolutely amazed him. His only contributions to the planning other than scheduling were to give her some opinions and information when requested. She was the one who had physically taken care of everything. If it weren't for all of her hard work, this wedding would have never been executed as spectacularly. He and Allura owed her everything.

The entire evening had been absolutely amazing. After the marriage and coronation ceremonies had been performed (he and Allura were now officially King and Queen of Arus), a three course meal consisting of all of the couple's favorite foods had been served. Dinner was followed with music and dancing. (The "dancing" in Allura's case was swaying her upper body while sitting up in bed. But everyone, including Doctor Gorma, had taken turns being her partner, which she absolutely loved.) The music had been provided by budding DJ Pidge, who had surprised everyone with his talent, including Larmina, who had been so enthralled with the music that she'd forgotten to complain about having to wear a dress and "all the kissing" for a little while. And between the dancing, there had been good conversation filled with lots of laughter. 

But the unexpected highlight of the evening had been Sven and Romelle finally voicing their mutual feelings and their first kiss had been met with applause, much to their embarrassment. Allura had asserted that the next wedding to be held would be theirs, which had embarrassed them even more.

As much as everyone had wanted the festivities to continue on late into the night, Doctor Gorma had called for the party to begin wrapping up when he noticed Allura beginning to yawn. Despite appearances, she was still very weak from her ordeal and needed as much rest as possible. Everyone, except the princess herself of course, had agreed with the doctor and started their goodbyes. A cot had been brought in for Keith to sleep on (the separate bed was a safety precaution because of her catheter and IV lines. Doctor Gorma worried that if Keith slept in Allura's bed that he might actually get caught on and pull out one of her lines in the middle of the night) while Nanny and Romelle helped Allura out of her dress and back into her nightgown. Then they had been left alone for their first night as husband and wife.

After he had promised to make up for not making love to her tonight, he had taken her into his arms and they had talked, cuddled, and kissed until she had finally fallen asleep, which had taken less than ten minutes. He'd smiled when he realized that she was fast asleep. Then he'd gently released her from his arms, kissed her on her forehead, and went over to his cot.

He knew that he should be trying to sleep himself since tomorrow was going to be his first day as king, but he was still too energized from the evening's festivities. His mind was running at thousands of miles a minute. There were so many things he was going to have to do. It was going to be a long time before he joined Allura in slumber.

But he didn't mind at all.

Because as long as she was physically near him, all was right in his world.

((())) 

Lotor withdrew his sword and the body of the man he'd just run through fell limply to the ground, the shocked expression still on his face.

"Anyone else dare to question my father's authority?" he asked the traumatized group of representatives that he was meeting with on this insignificant planet. (Which, honestly, they _all_ were. Only Doom itself held any power in the empire.) 

The dead man, the supreme governor or whatever his title had been (he honestly hadn't paid much attention when introductions had been made), had had the audacity to blatantly disregard one of Zarkon's basic laws: no dealings with any entity outside of the empire for any kind of business or trade arrangements. The now no-longer-supreme-anything had been very blatant about his violations and claimed that they were for the benefit of his people. When ordered to immediately put an end to the illegal behavior, he had refused. So Lotor had removed him from office.

Permanently.

"Who here will be taking his place?" he demanded of the cowering crowd.

A man slowly stepped forward and hesitantly raised his hand.

"I-I will, Y-your H-highness," he stammered his body shaking as much as his voice.

Lotor approached him, his sword still in his hand. 

The man grew paler than he already was.

"And you are?"

"Ta...Taready, Your E-excellancy. I-I was P-peraple's second."

"So, Taready, are you going to be reasonable and end all transactions with worlds outside of the empire?"

He bounced his sword blade off of his hand for effect.

The terrified Taready nodded his head vigorously. "At once, My Prince!"

"Good man," Lotor praised him, resisting the urge to smile. (He was only on the second world on his father's list and so far his wayward representatives were proving extremely easy to control. All he had to do was remove the one troublemaker and the rest fell into line. If he was being honest with himself, he was finding it thoroughly enjoyable.) "So, if I were to return to check on you in, oh, say six months, I won't find any deviations from my father's laws?"

"Of course not!" Taready promised. "We all warned Peraple that he was making a mistake, but he wouldn't listen to anyone."

Lotor doubted the man was telling the truth, but he'd allow the lie for now.

After all, if he killed him, he'd have to have the same conversation again with the next in line. And so on until he found _someone_ who was truly honest and forthcoming about his part in their planet's crimes.

"Very well then," he said. "It seems my business here has come to a satisfactory conclusion. I will leave you and allow you to start cleaning up your predecessor's mess."

"Yes, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!" Taready babbled, bowing repeatedly to him. "I will not fail you!"

"I should hope not," Lotor replied. "I'd hate to think what will happen if I come back and found out that you had."

Taready turned even paler than before.

This time, he did smile.

Then, he turned on his heel and marched out of the meeting hall, his robot guards falling into position around him.

As he left, he heard the beginning of a commotion behind him and his smile grew even wider.

He'd be very surprised if this world stepped out of line again any time soon.

He hoped the next one on the list would be just a tiny bit more challenging.

_Only twenty more to go before I can claim my bride,_ he thought to himself.

It was too bad he had no idea how long it would take him to visit every planet because then he'd be able to count the days until Allura was once again his.

And hopefully their child too, if that stupid witch was right. (She'd sounded confident when telling both he and Father that Allura was pregnant, but Haggar was a consummate liar and would say whatever she felt like to get her own way. It would be foolish to take anything she said as the honest truth. Not that it was really important if his princess was pregnant yet or not. After they were married, she _would_ give him heirs. It was just a matter of time.) 

But making her his queen was all that mattered. And he would do whatever Father required of him to achieve that goal.

And then, as soon as the marriage ceremony was complete, it would be time to dispose of Father once and for all.

He smiled as he imagined how he was going to make Father suffer before he killed him.

It would be the slowest and most painful death possible.

And he'd make sure Father apologized for every untoward thing he'd ever even _thought_ about Allura before he met his end.

All he had to do first was visit every planet on the list like the obedient son he appeared to be and then all of his dreams would come true. 

He simply had to be patient a tiny bit longer. 

And then the galaxy would belong to him and his beautiful Allura.

He openly laughed as he started up the ramp of his ship.


	3. Chapter 3

 

**Author's Notes:**

  
It is now the end of October 2016 (my birthday was several days ago) and here at long last is the third part of "Aftermath." This section officially moves the storyline past the halfway point. I am aiming to have it complete with the next part.  
In this portion of the story, I am bringing in Allura's aunt Orla. In the original cartoon, she is never properly shown as her own character. She appears in only two episodes that I can determine and in one of them, she is being portrayed by Haggar. The personality I am giving her is my own creation and I hope that you will find that it works with the story.  
I am again reminding everyone that this story takes place in the "Voltron Force" universe but during the timeframe of the original "Defender of the Universe" cartoon.  
Please contact me with any questions or comments.  
Thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.  


"Excuse me, Your Majesty."

Keith looked up from the Arusian world map he was studying to see Coran in the doorway with a piece of paper in his hand.

"We've just received another inquiry about Allura's whereabouts," Coran told him as he stepped into Keith's newly appointed office. "This one was hand delivered by a messenger minutes ago."

Keith sighed. "How many does that make now?"

"Ten and all in the last three days."

"Not good," Keith declared. "Damn, I thought we'd have more time."

It had been inevitable that the Arusian people would start to notice Allura's absence. Since the coming of the Voltron Force, Allura had led a very public life and she was well-known among her people, spending a great deal of time with them whenever she was able. However, he and Coran had assumed that there wouldn't be questions about her lack of appearances for at least a month. But it seemed that two weeks had been more than enough for her subjects to start worrying about their princess's (they had no way of knowing that she was now queen) welfare. The missives had started arriving three days ago. 

"As did I," Coran assured him, "but as you know, our people are very protective of Her Majesty and it gives them great comfort to know where she is at all times. Because they don't know what has happened, they have no idea why they haven't seen her in nearly three weeks. They are understandably concerned and will continue to send inquires until they know where she is. They need to hear from her as soon as possible." 

Keith nodded. "Of course. But how soon is 'as soon as possible'? Remember, she's first being released today and she's going to need a few days to get used to her current limitations. Also, I honestly haven't seen the need to discuss the cover story for her injuries and our quiet marriage with her. The two of us will have to talk to her before she can go before the people."

Although it was several days later than originally thought, Doctor Gorma was finally releasing Allura from the infirmary. In his professional opinion, she had gained enough strength that she no longer needed around-the-clock supervision. (Nanny, of course, disagreed and made everyone promise that _someone_ would be with her at all times. If it weren't for his new duties as king, Keith would have volunteered to spend every moment with her.) She had also been taken off of the catheter two days ago and, as embarrassing as it was, started using a bed pan. (There had also been a discussion of wearing adult diapers when she no longer needed to remain bed-ridden, but that was at least another week away.) Her appetite had also increased to the point where she was eating enough to no longer need to have an IV nutrient drip. Compared to how she was when she'd been brought back from Doom, it was like night and day.

The only "ailments" his beloved currently suffered from were the onset of her pregnancy symptoms. Although it was too early for full-blown morning sickness, she was feeling queasy and generally tired. She had worried when the symptoms had started the day before and feared that she was having some sort of set-back from her injuries, but both Keyat and Doctor Gorma had informed her that this was perfectly normal for a pregnant woman. (Lance, of course, had to later "warn" her that it was only going to get worse in the next couple of months, which had led to him being chased out of the infirmary room by Nanny.)

"I'd say three days from now will be sufficient," Coran decided. "It will give us time to put the word out for the people to expect Her Majesty's announcement. Just knowing that she is going to appear before them should somewhat ease their worries."

"Let's also broadcast it over all planetary channels," Keith added. "That way, those who can't come in time to see Allura in person will at least hear what she has to say."

"Excellent idea, Your Majesty," Coran accepted. "I will begin making the arrangements at once."

Although he'd been king for almost an entire week, it was still jarring to hear himself addressed as "Your Majesty." But when he thought about it, it wasn't that much different than being constantly called "Commander." In the two years he'd lived on Arus, he'd gotten used to the people's formality. (It was a stark contrast to the relaxed atmosphere of the Space Explorer corps, where everyone just called each other by their first names, even on missions.) 

"Sounds like a plan," Keith replied. 

He glanced at his Voltcom to see the time. He had about a half hour before Allura's release.

"I'm almost finished for the day and then I'm going to go down to Allura's room to wait with her until she is officially discharged. The first place she wants to go is to speak with her father."

Coran nodded his understanding. "Hopefully, that will ease her mind of her concerns. Have you been down to speak with him on your own?"

"I didn't feel that it was my place," Keith answered. "King Alfor needs to hear it directly from Allura."

Both Allura and Coran had informed him that as a member of the royal family, he could visit King Alfor's tomb to speak to the ghost unaccompanied if he wished.

"Yes, I believe that's best as well," Coran stated. "She has been rather irrational about how her father will feel about the direction her thoughts took while imprisoned."

"I don't understand where her guilt is coming from," Keith sighed. "But if anyone can set her straight, it's her father."

Coran smiled. "He always had a way to get through to her that no one else could. The only other person who's ever come close is you."

"She can be quite stubborn," Keith declared.

"She says the same thing about you," Coran pointed out.

"True," Keith agreed. "It's one of the reasons I feel so lucky that she fell in love with me. She accepts me with all of my faults."

Coran smiled again. "I will see you later, Your Majesty. I have a great deal of work ahead of me if we're to be ready for Allura's announcement."

"Thank you, Coran. I appreciate everything you do for us and Arus."

The advisor nodded his thanks and left the office.

Keith returned his attention to the map he had been studying.

He had almost memorized all twelve of the kingdoms that divided the planet. (Arus was a mostly agricultural world, most of the kingdoms dominated by farms. The technology they had possessed prior to Zarkon's invasion had been abandoned when the people fled to the caves. There were only two major communities who currently embraced a more modern way of life, but they were on the other side of the planet. The Voltron Force had encountered one when Haggar had released her frog robeasts nearly a year ago.) 

He hoped to have most of the kingdoms committed to memory before he went to be with his wife.

(()) 

"You see? I told you that you had nothing to worry about," Keith told Allura as he pushed her hover chair out of King Alfor's tomb. "You had absolutely no reason to feel guilty. But if it took hearing it from your father to make you feel better, then I'm glad I was able to bring you to speak with him."

Allura wiped at the tears that streaked her face before saying, "Thank you, Keith. You have no idea how much I appreciate your doing this for me."

It had been impossible to explain to either Keith or Coran why she had felt the guilt she had over choosing to focus all of her thoughts on Keith rather than her father during her imprisonment. As much as she loved Keith, he had only been a part of her life for a little over two years. Father had been everything to her for most of her childhood. After Mother had died (she barely remembered her since she had been so young at the time), Father had become the center of her world. She had gone to him for everything, from affection, to seeking answers to questions she had about almost everything and comfort when she had gotten a minor scrape. When she'd lost him...

"You're very welcome, my love," Keith assured her and she felt him press a kiss to the top of her head. "This was very important to you, which made it important to me."

"I love you so much," she told him, touched by his words.

"I love you too," he answered.

Hearing Keith tell her once more that he loved her sent a thrill through her body. Although they had been married nearly a week and she _knew_ how much he loved her, she had spent so long wondering if he did and fearing that he didn't that she was still getting used to him constantly telling her. To be honest, hearing him voice his love for her was slightly surreal. If she'd been asked a few weeks ago if she thought he'd ever openly return her feelings, she would have said "no." She had never been happier to have been proven wrong.

In fact, she couldn't remember having ever _been_ this happy in her entire life. The way Keith made her feel... The closest she had ever come to being this content and joyous was when her father was still alive. He had always made sure that she had everything she had ever wanted and had lavished attention on her at all times. He had been the best father a young girl could have asked for and she had loved him with all of her heart. Even after the coming of Doom, he had done everything he could to keep her as blissfully unaware of the war as possible. (Father and Coran had done their best to shelter her from the horrors being inflicted upon their world, but she'd still caught bits and pieces of their conversations and knew that things weren't as perfect as she was being told.) And then, one day, he'd left the castle to personally face Zarkon and never returned. 

It had been so hard for her young mind to process that he was gone forever. Until then, he'd been with her every day of her entire life. (Mother was such a faded memory that it was almost as she'd never been there.) It didn't make sense to her that he wasn't around anymore. Add to that that she had been also told for as long as she could remember that the dead watched over their loved ones. (People had been telling her that ever since Mother died.) So it had seemed completely logical to her that he must still be around even if she couldn't _see_ him. And with that conclusion, she had begun openly talking to him whenever she could

Her one-sided conversations with Father became a routine part of her days and nights. She would talk to him whenever she was completely alone, telling him everything that she was thinking and feeling. Some nights, after Nanny and Coran were asleep and couldn't stop her, she was descend into the castle catacombs and visit his tomb, which was where she felt closest to him. It was there that she would voice her deepest secrets. 

She had never wondered why Father didn't answer her back. She had just assumed that because he had physically died that he couldn't. But it didn't bother her because she _knew_ he was always with her, watching over and protecting her. 

So when his spirit had finally appeared before her, Coran, and the Voltron Force that day...

That moment had been a validation of everything she had always believed about Father since his death. But to see and hear him again... 

That day had been the beginning of their renewed relationship. He had died when she was still a child and she had only known him the way a child knew a parent. Now she was able to get to know Father as a real person, relating to him as an adult. She discovered that he had been truly an amazing individual, completely deserving of the love and loyalty of his people. She felt closer to him than she'd ever had before.

However, despite their more in-depth conversations, there was one secret she had kept from him: her growing feelings for Keith.

Although Father seemed supportive of every choice she made (he had told her that she had made the right decision when she had decided to become the Blue Lion pilot), she had worried that he would be upset with her for falling in love with someone who wasn't royalty. Although she hadn't been old enough to discuss marriage with him when he was physically alive, she had heard from Coran and Nanny most of her life that she had to marry a prince and couldn't see any way out of it except to never marry. She worried that Father would be upset with her for choosing to end the royal line rather than marry someone she didn't love. Thankfully, it was a topic that never came up and her love for Keith grew in secret. 

So when her ordeal had put Keith and her feelings for him at the forefront of her mind...

_That_ was why she had felt so guilty. Her sole focus during her horrific experience had been on the one person she had barely spoken to Father about. If he had been keeping watch over her on Doom, he would have _known_ where her heart was and it was not on him. She feared that she had hurt his feelings by seeking comfort from the thoughts of someone else.

So there were no words to describe the surprise and relief she had experienced when Father had told her that he was _glad_ that she had instinctively focused on Keith instead of him during her imprisonment.

"I will always be with you in spirit, my daughter, but I cannot physically aid you in this form," Father had said. "It makes me happy to know that you have found someone who can do what I no longer can. I could not have chosen a more worthy successor to protect you if I had tried. Keith loves you deeply and his need to protect you rivals my own. You truly have found your other half in him. Arus will thrive under your combined leadership."

Somehow, Father had always known of her love for Keith and, most importantly, approved of it. Her worries had been unnecessary. She regretted having remained silent for all this time. It would have been a relief to have someone to talk about her feelings to instead of keeping them to herself.

But it truthfully no longer mattered. She and Keith were _married._ Her days of wondering if he felt the same for her were behind her. She now knew that Keith loved her and he had shown her in the most intimate way possible.

A way he was finally free to show her again...

Suddenly, there was nothing that she wanted more than to make love with Keith right now.

Their first time had been so incredible and she had been wanting to experience it again ever since. But her injuries had prevented them from being together since returning to Arus. (Lotor's brutality had done severe damage to the most intimate parts of her body and only time would heal them.) Thankfully, both Doctor Gorma and Keyat had given her the all clear for sexual activity right before she was released.

She could now make love with Keith whenever she wanted.

And it was what she wanted _now._

"I'd like you to take me to our quarters," she spoke up as he continued to push her hover chair back towards the castle proper. "That's where I want to go next." 

He owed her for their missed wedding night, after all. 

"Are you feeling tired, my queen?" he asked, having no way of knowing that sleep was the furthest thing from her mind. "I-"

"I'm not tired," she interrupted him. "I'm... I..."

She trailed off as it occurred to her that they were still in the catacombs, still very close to her father's tomb.

She reddened with embarrassment as she realized how inappropriate it was to have such thoughts in this sacred place.

Especially so near to her father. (Yes, she was a grown and married woman, but still!)

"Allura?" Keith questioned when she didn't continue. "Are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine," she assured him, now feeling guilty on top of her embarrassment for making him worry. "I promise."

The hover chair stopped moving and Keith came around to kneel in front of her.

"What is it?" he asked her, reaching out and touching her cheek. "You were going to say something and then silence. What's wrong?"

Her guilt and embarrassment flared at his unnecessary concern.

"Nothing's wrong," she waved him off. "I was about to tell you what I wanted us to do now, but I stopped when I realized this wasn't the place to mention that kind of thing."

"'That kind of thing'?" he echoed. "What do you mean by 'that kind of thing'?"

Realizing that she would have to explain herself, she turned bright red as she said "Making love with you."

Keith's eyes widened in surprise at her unexpected confession.

And then he laughed.

"Oh, _that_ kind of thing," he chuckled, leaning in to kiss her. "Why didn't you say so in the first place, my love?"

"Keith!" she cried. "It's not right to say such things here! Not when Father could hear us!"

She reddened all over again at the idea of him listening to their discussion.

"Allura," Keith sighed, shaking his head. "First of all, there's nothing inappropriate about a husband and wife talking about wanting to make love. It's a perfectly normal topic for a married couple. And second of all, I seriously doubt your father is eavesdropping on our private conversation. I've never gotten the impression that he'd be that kind of ghost."

She couldn't help but smile at his comment.

"Now that that's cleared up, what do you say to us going to our quarters and doing the thing you don't want to talk about down here?"

It was her turn to laugh.

"You promise to make up for our missed wedding night?" she teased.

"Oh, I intend to, my beautiful queen," he said, giving her another kiss, this one slightly more intense than the last.

"I intend to."

(()) 

Keith gazed down at his Allura as he lay propped on his arm beside her in their bed.

"So, I'm thinking I've learned my lesson and I shouldn't ask 'was it good for you?' again," he commented as he twirled a strand of her hair in his fingers. "Because I'm honestly getting tired and want to go to sleep."

As a joke, after their first coupling, he'd told her he was going to quote Lance and asked her if it was good for her. She'd replied "yes, so let's do it again!" and he'd happily complied. Then he'd asked her again after the second.

And then the third.

And then so on...

Allura giggled and smiled brightly at him.

"You don't want to make love to me just one more time?" she asking teasingly.

Since arriving at their newly combined quarters hours ago, they had made love five times. To his amusement, Allura had been awestruck by how much more she had enjoyed their lovemaking than when they'd been together the first time. ("I always thought the first time was supposed to be the best," she had confessed after the first coupling. "But this was so much more incredible!") She'd also kept checking to make sure that he wasn't going easy on her because of her injuries, which he was, but to make her happy, he'd assured her that he wasn't. (Not that he'd ever be anything less that completely gentle with her, but he'd taken special care not to aggravate any of her broken bones or still-healing abrasions. When she was completely whole again, he'd be a little more adventurous in his ministrations.) 

"Maybe in an hour or two," he conceded, kissing her. "But I think we both need to get some rest first."

"Do we have to?" she mock-pouted.

He laughed and kissed her again. "Yes, we do because _I_ need the break! You, my love, are insatiable!"

"It's your fault for making me feel so wonderful," she pointed out. "I can't get enough of this."

He laughed again. "Believe me, sweetheart, you won't always feel that way. There will be times I want it and you won't want me to touch you."

"Never!" she declared.

He smiled knowingly at her naïveté. (He was sure the first of those times would come as she got further along in her pregnancy.) "If you say so."

"I do say so!" she came back, giving him a kiss. "I love you so much," she seriously added after a few moments silence. "You make me so happy, Keith. Thank you for loving me."

"I'm the one who should be thanking you," he replied, touching her face. "I can't believe someone as amazing as you, my beautiful queen, somehow fell in love with someone like me. I don't think I'll ever feel worthy of you." 

"How can you even say that?" she countered. "You heard what Father said. He approves of you not only as my husband, but as king of Arus. How can you continue to doubt your worthiness after hearing that? 

"And I fell in love with you because of the kind of person you are," she continued. "You are so good, Keith. You're generous and kind and caring and you think of everyone ahead of yourself. You are just amazing."

"Funny, that's exactly how I feel about you," he told her. "You are the most good-natured and loving person I've ever met. You truly are the best of anyone I've ever known. And that is why I love you with my entire being."

"Keith..." she breathed, tears forming in her eyes.

"I love you so much," he repeated. "Now and forever." 

He would never tired of telling her how much he loved her. He knew how happy it made her to hear him say the words. And her happiness was that all that mattered to him.

"I love you too," she echoed, reaching up with her good hand to touch his cheek. 

He kissed her deeply, lowering himself back down to the bed.

"Does this mean you're going to make love to me again?" she asked.

He answered her by kissing her much more intensely.

(()) 

Haggar moved freely among the crowd of Arusians, her magical disguise making her indistinguishable from any other woman there. (The fact that she had left Coba with their coffin ship also helped. Pets were not typically brought to public gatherings.)

Zarkon's network of spies had received word that the princess was going to make some sort of speech today. She had not been seen publicly in weeks and the rumor moving through the Arusian people was that she was going to explain why she had been so quiet. Considering the true reason for her absence, Haggar was very interested in what she had to say.

She knew that the princess could not admit to her capture and imprisonment. It would look very bad for the Voltron Force in particular. It would be interesting to hear her explain away her injuries, which were extensive. She doubted the girl had come up with anything herself. Whatever she was going to say was most likely directed by either her advisor or the Voltron Commander.

Another area of interest to her in particular was the issue of a pregnancy. (She had not had the opportunity to travel to Arus before now, so she had not been able to send Coba into the castle as her eyes and ears to find out the princess's status.) Although it was much too soon for any sort of announcement (assuming that she was with child), there were many subtle clues that could give away her condition. An introduction of a suitor that Allura was fond of, for example, or, even more drastic, a surprise wedding announcement. Anything that could be used to cover up a scandalous pregnancy would be a confirmation. 

She couldn't help but smile at the thought of how Lotor would react if he were to return home to the news that his "queen" had married another. Would he throw yet another childish fit that involved destroying things? (She'd actually be surprised if he didn't.) He'd of course want to immediately go to Arus and "liberate" her from her marriage. (And by "liberate," she meant that he would murder the princess's husband as soon as possible.) Not that he could be permitted to do so. (She would have speak to Zarkon and come up with some way to make it impossible for him to go without permission.) Not if he wanted to ensure that his child was born healthy.

A cheer rose up through the crowd and Haggar looked up towards the castle's balcony. Princess Allura was being pushed out in a hover chair by, unsurprisingly, the Voltron commander. Her right arm was visibly in a sling and her legs were covered by a blanket. (To hide that they were broken, she assumed.) At her side walked her advisor. Behind them stood the rest of the Voltron Force, the annoying Polluxian princess, her companion (the former member of the Voltron Force she had attempted to eliminate all those years ago), the princess's young niece, and the head servant who had been Allura's nursemaid.

There was no doubt that Allura was going to say something significant to her people.

"Hello!" she enthusiastically greeted the crowd as she waved her arm. "Thank you all so much for coming! I have so much to tell you!"

There was another cheer.

"First of all, I would like to thank everyone who sent messages asking after me," she continued. "Knowing that you all were so worried about me touches me more deeply than I can say. The Arusian people truly are the best and I am honored to be your ruler. I love each and every one of you!"

As the crowd roared once more, Haggar fought the urge to roll her eyes at this sentimental drivel. 

It was no wonder that Zarkon had been able to so easily invade the planet. The people were all weak fools. 

"The reason I have asked all of you here today is so I can share with you the reason why I haven't been spending much time among you for the past several weeks," Allura went on. "You see, I was in a terrible accident in my Blue Lion."

_That_ was it? _That_ was the best explanation they could come up with for her absence and injuries? 

Pathetic!

"It happened during a routine training exercise," the princess told her audience. "One minute, I was flying just fine. And then the next... To be honest, none of us are exactly sure what happened. And I don't remember much of the crash itself."

Haggar kept herself from bursting out laughing. Of course she couldn't remember! It never happened!

"My first memory after the accident is the pain," Allura continued. "Agonizing pain."

_That_ at least was the truth. (She'd observed Lotor's treatment of the girl and seen her untreated injuries. "Agonizing" was most likely an understatement.)

"I won't go into the details of my injuries of course," the princess assured her listeners, "but I will say that there was a point where the doctor didn't know if I'd even survive."

The crowd let out unified cries and gasps of horror.

Haggar, on the other hand, only wanted to laugh at the ridiculous exaggeration. While Allura had certainly been in a weakened state from Lotor's constant mistreatment, she had been nowhere near the point of death. 

"Thankfully, as you can plainly see, I did!" she added, which was followed by yet another cheer. "But what I want to share with you next is the result of everyone, myself included, thinking I might not make it.

"Keith," she said, turning her head to look at the man standing behind her hover chair, "come stand next to me."

The Voltron commander instantly moved to stand on Allura's left side. To Haggar's complete shock, he took the princess's hand and they smiled lovingly at each other.

_What?!_

"I have been in love with Keith for a very long time," the princess announced as a surprised murmuring rippled through the crowd. "When I thought I was dying, I wanted him to know. And, to my amazement, he told me he felt the same way."

The murmur instantly became another cheer.

Haggar knew that the Voltron Force was loved on Arus (and most worlds enslaved by Doom), but she would have never expected the people to approve of their princess choosing a suitor who was not only an off-worlder but a commoner. But then again, given how much they loved her, they probably wouldn't care who she allowed to court her as long as she was happy. And it was sickenly obvious how happy both she and the commander were. (There was clearly nothing contrived about this relationship. It was real.)

And since there was no near death experience involved, it was the confirmation of pregnancy she had been hoping for. (She was surprised she'd never noticed the princess's attraction to the commander before. Choosing him to cover up the true parentage of her child must have been an easy decision considering that he reciprocated her feelings.) There was no other reason for her to make such an announcement. 

But it would make bringing Allura and her child back to Doom all the more difficult. Keith would not be as easy to dispose of as some no-name prince. (Lotor had failed again and again in his attempts to kill the commander.) Other tactics would be needed to retrieve her from Arus, most likely diplomatic ones considering the parentage of her child. 

"It also just so happens that it has recently come to light that my beloved Keith is a descendant of the Knights of Arus," the princess added, which suddenly gave Haggar a very bad feeling that she knew where this discussion was headed. (She knew little of Arus's royalty, but she had assumed, and used in several of her schemes, that Allura could only marry a fellow royal. Whatever these Knights of Arus were, having the commander be descended from them obviously made him royal enough to marry the princess.) 

The crowd again reacted, showing their continued approval of their princess's choice of suitor.

"When it was still believed that I was not going to recover, it was decided that Arus would need someone to rule in my place," Allura went on, leaving no doubt where this was headed. "And I could think of no one better than the man I love. So Keith and I quietly wed and we were crowned King and Queen of Arus."

Haggar wished she could block her ears as the gathered crowd cheered louder and longer than all the previous times put together.

The situation was worse than she'd feared. She's just assumed a wedding was going to be announced in the near future. Instead, Allura was already married and she and the commander had already gone through their coronation. She worried that returning her to Lotor was an impossibility now.

Yet...

The child still remained. A child that was Lotor's legitimate heir.

Allura might be lost to them, but the child was not.

Her plan could still be salvaged.

With or without Lotor's participation.

"Happily, in the end, my injuries were non-life threatening," Allura concluded. "And Keith and I can really start our life together."

Another round of joyous screaming came from the audience. (Haggar wondered if anyone would have a voice left after the speech ended.)

"I promise to do my best as your king," the commander spoke up. "I have a lot to learn, but with Allura by my side, I feel I can do anything. I thank you for placing your trust in me."

More cheers followed his comments and Haggar decided it was time for her to return to Doom with her report.

Zarkon would not be pleased with the developments either and it would take the two of them to plan for Lotor's return.

He could not be allowed to harm the pri-, _queen,_ before she gave birth. (After it was born and safely on Doom, he could attempt to recapture her to his heart's content.)

Lotor's child was now her priority.

(()) 

The recording of Allura's announcement came to an end and Queen Orla shut off the viewscreen, her niece's words leaving her feeling more than a little unsettled.

If she had been watching the speech live (which would have been difficult though not impossible due to the several hour time difference between the kingdoms of Lyssian and Altair), she would have immediately called the Castle of Lions and demanded an explanation for what she had heard.

Because if everything Allura had just said was true, why hadn't she, as Allura's only living blood relative, been contacted?

It didn't make any sense.

If Allura had truly had a near-death experience as she'd just told the Arusian people she had, Orla knew she would have been immediately informed, just as she had been over a year ago when Allura had been placed under that sleeping spell that had convinced everyone she was dead. (She had rushed to Altair as soon as Coran had called her with the news that Allura had fallen seriously ill. But because it took her three days by carriage to get there, she had not arrived until after Allura had been declared "dead". She had been so relieved when it had been revealed to have been a spell.) Since she had _not_ been contacted this time, it was therefore impossible for this so-called near-fatal accident to have happened.

Meaning Allura had blatantly lied to her people. 

But why? And for what reason?

She'd known Allura since she was a very little girl and her niece rarely lied, if ever, and it was always with good reason. She was honest to a fault and had the naive belief that most everyone else was the same way. (As a child, Allura had believed _everyone_ to be honest, but the war with Doom had changed that.) There was no question that she'd been in some kind of accident. The fact that she was sitting in a hover chair with covered legs (one had to be broken) and had her right arm in a sling proved it. But what was the point of exaggerating the severity to the point of outright lying about it?

She went over the speech in her mind, trying to figure out what Allura was trying to downplay by drawing attention to her injuries. The most important announcement was her marriage to the Voltron commander. Yet other than using the supposed near-death experience as the catalyst that pushed them to finally confess their mutual feelings (something that had been obvious to Orla from the first time she'd observed them together), she couldn't see what one had to do with the other. The discovery of Keith's Arusian heritage was more than enough to allow them to marry. No further explanation would have been needed. So why had Allura felt the need to fabricate such an elaborate story to explain their marriage? It didn't make sense, so therefore Orla knew she had to be missing something.

The only other thing that stood out was Allura mentioning that she had not spent much time among the people for several weeks, which obviously went hand-in-hand with her being injured. Though clearly not life-threatening, her injuries had to be painful and she would not be surprised if Allura had spent much of that time in bed recovering. It was very possible that the part about being in an accident in her Blue Lion was true, but that it had been a lot less serious than she presented. Which again made Orla wonder why the facts were being exaggerated. What could possibly be the reason? 

Deciding that she would never discover the truth on her own, she realized there was only one thing she could do: go to the Castle of Lions herself and get the truth directly from Allura.

Her mind made up, she pressed the call button on her desk and, within seconds, Paldor, her chief aide, entered her office.

"Yes, Your Majesty? How can I assist you?"

"I have decided to go visit my niece at the Castle of Lions," she informed him. "And I would like to leave as soon as possible. How quickly can everything be made ready for my departure?"

She watched as Paldor speedily ran all of the logistics through his mind. (Her aide's ability to work out detailed scenarios in a quick and efficient manner had made him indispensable to her. She'd literally be a much less effective queen if it weren't for his insights.)

"I believe everything can be prepared by mid-day, Your Majesty," Paldor finally answered. "Will that be acceptable?"

"That will be perfect," she replied, pleased with the timetable. "That will give me enough time to prepare the rest of the staff for my absence and to finish whatever work I am in the middle of processing."

"Very good," he said. "The only information I'll need from you before I start readying things for your trip is which of your ladies-in-waiting would you like to accompany you and how long do you plan on staying?" 

Because it was a three day journey from her kingdom to the Castle of Lions, Orla always preferred to travel with companions. It made the carriage ride much more enjoyable and far less lonely.

"I will be bringing Glynnal and Rosene with me," she told him, naming two of her oldest and longest-serving ladies. Both had accompanied her on several of her previous visits with Allura and, like her, had known her niece since she was a baby. "As for the length of my stay, that has yet to be determined."

This was not just a visit, after all. She was going with the purpose of finding out why Allura had lied to her people. And after she learned the reason behind the lies, she was going to do whatever was in her power to assist Allura in getting through whatever the cause was. And it that meant staying as little as a few days or as long as a few months, so be it.

"Instruct Michena to pack enough things for at least a month's stay," she said after a moment's consideration, naming her head maid. "I will contact you if I will extend my visit beyond that."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," Paldor accepted. "I will go speak with Michena and the others at once."

"Thank you, Paldor," Orla said, giving him a slight nod to indicate her appreciation.

"Your Majesty," he acknowledged with a bow.

He then turned and left her office.

Satisfied that she would have her answers to all of her questions in three days, Orla turned her attention back to Lyssian business.

After all, just because she was going to be absent for a little while didn't mean that the lives of her people shouldn't go on as usual.

Her kingdom was most definitely not going to put itself on hold for her.

She would have a lot of catching up to do when she returned.

(()) 

_Allura was surrounded by absolute blackness. She had no idea where she was or how she had gotten there. And her mind refused to recall where she had been immediately before._

_She took a deep breath and tried to get her bearings. All she could tell was that she was lying on something soft. Her bed, perhaps? Was she in her and Keith's quarters? And if so, why was there no light? Had the Castle somehow lost power? (Was that even possible considering the number of backup generators there were?)_

_Suddenly, she felt the surface beneath her give as if someone was getting into the supposed bed with her._

Keith _was her immediate thought. If anyone could tell her what was going on, it was him._

_She turned towards him._

_And found herself face to face with Lotor instead._

_"My beautiful queen," the monster spoke as Allura unleashed a horrified scream..._

(()) 

Keith had just passed through the doorway to his and Allura's quarters when he heard her scream.

Without giving a single thought to any possible dangers that could have caused Allura's distress, he took off at a run towards their bed and practically jumped in next to where his beloved was sitting up, breathing hard with a look of terror on her face, and pulled her into is arms. 

"Allura, Allura, love, what is it?" he gently asked her, holding her tightly against him. "What happened?"

Instead of answering, she began to sob.

It took him only a second after belatedly scanning the room to see that nothing was amiss and to realize that she'd had a nightmare. (His near-loss of her to Lotor was still too fresh and he still wasn't thinking clearly when it came to her safety. His protective instinct was telling him to go directly to her rather than checking for external threats as he'd been trained.)

There was no question what-or rather _who_ \- it had been about.

"It's all right, my love, it's all right," he soothed her, stroking her back as she cried into his chest. "It wasn't real. It was just a dream."

He'd known the nightmares were coming, but that didn't make the reality of their appearance any less upsetting. 

He'd been pleasantly surprised that they hadn't begun before now, but he was sure a lot of that had to do with the fact that she hadn't been left alone for more than a few minutes at a time. If he couldn't be with her, he'd always made sure someone else was until he came back.

Until tonight.

Ever since the rescue, he'd been left out of the duty rotation for nighttime watch in Castle Control. No one had ever said anything about it. His name had just never come up and he'd been more than happy to spend most of his time with Allura. (He had a feeling Coran was the reason why.) But it had now been nearly three weeks since Allura had come home and with her doing so well both physically and mentally, he felt that it was time for him to resume his normal duties. (He may be king, but he was also still the leader of the Voltron Force.) With her permission (he'd never make such a drastic decision without consulting her first) and repeated assurances that she'd be fine on her own for a few hours, he'd assigned himself to Control for watch that night.

He should have known that leaving her alone with her thoughts would lead to this disaster.

"Oh, Keith," she managed between tears, clinging to him as if for dear life. "It was so real. I thought... Oh, gods, I thought..."

"Shh," he urged her. "He can't hurt you anymore. You're safe, my love. I'm right here. He'll never touch you again."

"I was so scared," she murmured. "I thought it was you with me and then I turned and..."

"I'm right here now," he consoled her. "I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. You are safe, Allura. I promise."

She continued to cry and he just held her, murmuring words of comfort and rubbing her back.

He hated that she was being forced to relive her personal hell by her own mind, but from what Romelle had told him, there was no way of preventing it. The nightmares _were_ going to happen and it had only been a question of when they would start. Now that they had, Allura had to deal with them until they went away.

Romelle had asked to be informed when Allura experienced her first memory nightmare so she could help her cope with the situation. She had never failed to impress Keith with her inner strength and the fact that she was willing to openly talk about her own experiences on Doom to help Allura simply amazed him. (Sven was a very lucky man to have found her. Or, as they both insisted, she had found _him._ ) If anyone could help Allura deal with this, it was her cousin.

To his relief, Keith heard Allura's cries finally begin to subside.

"I'm so afraid of him," she spoke in a voice so low that it was almost a whisper. "I wish I wasn't, but I am. What he did to me..."

"He will never get near you ever again," he promised her. "You and our child are safe. I will protect the both of you. I promise, Allura. Never again."

He knew how much she loved it when he referred to her unborn child as theirs. (It did not matter who the biological father was. He and Allura were the baby's parents and that was all there was to it.) It reinforced that they were a true family now.

"I love you," she said.

He loosened his arms around her and gently repositioned her so that she was looking up at him.

"I love you too," he replied.

And then he kissed her to show her exactly how much.

(()) 

Allura unsuccessfully tried to suppress a yawn as she sat in Castle Control watching the morning's Lion practice.

Her lack of sleep was catching up with her, but she was determined to stay and watch as she'd been doing for the last several days.

It was the closest she would come to being a part of the Voltron Force ever again...

"Would you like me to take you back to your quarters?" Romelle, who was standing beside her, asked. "I know how important being here is to you, but it won't hurt you to miss one practice. You really need to try to get some more sleep."

"I'll nap later," Allura waved her off. "I'm fine, I promise."

She had explained to Romelle the first time she'd come to observe why it meant so much to her to be here in Control during practice.

If she couldn't be flying out there with them...

"You're sure?" Romelle pressed. "Because I can see how tired you are, Allura. You can barely keep your eyes open."

"Really, I'm fine," Allura asserted. "But if it'll make you feel better, I'll let you take me directly back to my quarters as soon as Keith gives the order for them to bring the Lions in."

"You've got a deal," Romelle accepted. "And I won't let you back out of it at the last minute."

Allura smiled up at her cousin. "I wouldn't even dream of it."

Romelle's expression momentarily changed when Allura spoke the word "dream."

"And you're really feeling okay after what happened last night?"

Keith had told her that Romelle had asked to be informed if she had a nightmare. And now that she'd experienced one, Romelle was constantly asking how she was doing. 

"I am," Allura honestly assured her. She understood why Romelle was worried, but her post-rescue experience was very different from her cousin's. "Keith was wonderful. He was able to make me feel better right away."

She could feel the slight blush come to her cheeks as she remembered their lovemaking. The things Keith could make her feel just by touching her in certain ways... It made it impossible to focus on anything but what he was doing to her body. The fear and sadness from her dream had been instantly swept away the moment he had started kissing her.

"You're so lucky to have him," Romelle commented. "If things had been the way they are now between Sven and I..."

"He was still there for you," Allura pointed out. "You may not have been romantically involved yet, but you still had his love and support. Instead of returning to either Arus or Earth, he chose to stay on Pollux with you. He even went back to Doom with you to rescue slaves. If that's not love, I don't know what is."

"I would still be there if it weren't for him," Romelle told her. She gave a little smile. "I mean, it took a little convincing to get him to help me, but it all worked out in the end."

Allura smiled back. Sven and Romelle had often shared the story of how they had first met in the Pit of Skulls. After saving her from the guards sent down to retrieve her, Sven had tried very hard to convince her that he was a "wild man" and not worth saving because he was a failure, but Romelle had refused to make a move without him. As they both liked to say, they saved each other. "I think that makes us both very lucky."

"I agree," Romelle seconded.

Allura returned her attention to the large viewscreen that was displaying the Lions as the Force put them through their paces.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to the part of the split image that showed the Blue Lion.

_Her_ Lion was performing maneuvers she could have only dreamed of doing with an ease she'd have never achieved even after years of flying.

She felt a sudden pang of jealousy and sadness over the fact that Sven was where she wanted to be and could never be again.

She placed her hand over her still-flat stomach.

She had realized that having a child was going to change everything, but it hadn't occurred to her that she'd have to step down from the Voltron Force until Keith had gently told her that he didn't want her flying anymore. His reasoning had been sound and logical ("I don't want to ever be in a situation that might leave any of our children orphans"), but all the same it had been very difficult to accept. She loved taking an active role in the defense of her planet. She considered it the greatest achievement of her life. She'd never imagined that she'd leave the team for any reason other than the final defeat of Doom.

But in the end, she'd known Keith was right. She knew better than anyone the pain of losing both parents at a young age. First her mother to illness and then her father to war. She'd been raised by extremely loving guardians, but Coran and Nanny weren't her mother and father. She didn't want her own children to experience the same pain she had. What kind of mother would she be if she put her own selfish needs first? She had to do what was best for her children.

And what was best was no longer piloting the Blue Lion.

Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. If Romelle or Nanny, who was also with them in Control, saw her crying, they would misinterpret and think it was because of her nightmare. (She and Keith had decided to keep the decision for her to step down to themselves for the time being. Her injuries and pregnancy would have kept her from flying for the next several months anyway.) If she wanted to watch the entire practice, they couldn't know of her intense sadness. They would have forced her to leave Control. 

"I know he misses this more than he lets on," Romelle commented, unaware of the direction of Allura's thoughts. "I think if it weren't for me he would have returned here after escaping Doom."

_And then I would have been off the team back then,_ she knew.

Sven was a gifted pilot and seeing the Blue Lion under his control made her feel every bit the amateur that she was. He was the one who was _supposed_ to fly Blue. It was only a twist of fate that had given her the opportunity to become a pilot.

But it was something she would forever be grateful for.

"Oh, if only he had!" Nanny chimed in. "Then my baby wouldn't have to keep risking her life in that contraption. I thank all of the gods that she cannot fly right now."

If Allura had not been feeling so down, she would have rolled her eyes at Nanny's dramatics. Nanny had never supported her choice to fly Blue Lion. While Allura understood her governess's fear for her safety, it was annoying to have to constantly hear her carry on about it, especially after having been a part of the team as long as she had. The boys had told her repeatedly that she'd become a very good pilot. (Though nowhere near their level and specifically nowhere nearly as good as Sven's.) Nanny refused to see how skilled and competent she was. Nor did she accept how much being a member of the team meant to Allura. Hearing her carry on about her "baby" being in such "danger" had gotten old years ago. 

Allura felt Romelle place a reassuring hand on her good shoulder.

"Yes, he misses being a part of the team, but Sven has no desire to take away the place Allura has rightfully earned," Romelle firmly countered. "He has no trouble filling in for her when she's unable to fly, but his place is now on Pollux. The Blue Lion is Allura's now."

Romelle's words had the opposite effect of what Allura knew they were supposed to have. They only reinforced what she had lost. 

The tears she had been holding back slipped down her cheek.

But before either Romelle or Nanny could comment, Keith's face replaced the image of his Lion on the viewscreen.

"I'm picking up movement on my sensors," he announced. "Something's approaching the castle from the west. Whatever it is, it doesn't appear to be very large. I'm going to go check it out myself. Everyone else maintain your current position."

The others all radioed their assent.

The view switched back to what Keith was seeing rather than inside of his cockpit and expanded to take up the entire screen.

He directed his Lion away from the practice area and approached the main road.

Within moments, the object he had detected came into view: a horse-drawn carriage.

A carriage decorated with very familiar colors.

"Aunt Orla?" Allura spoke out loud.

Coran turned around from the control station to look at her.

"Those are most definitely the colors of the kingdom of Lyssia," he said. "But what makes you so certain it's your aunt in the carriage? She usually sends a messenger bird to inform us that she's coming. It could be anyone."

What Coran said was true. Auntie always liked to send advance notice that she was on her way. Also, the last time they'd spoken, which was a couple of months ago, they had discussed a possible future visit, but the planned date was months away. So it was possible that it was someone else from Orla's kingdom.

But, either way, why was-? 

_Oh!_

Suddenly, Allura realized she had made a terrible mistake when she had made her announcement.

She'd forgotten to warn her aunt beforehand about what she was going to say.

That meant Auntie must...

How was she ever going to right such a horrible wrong?

She could only hope that Auntie would forgive her.

(()) 

"It's going to be all right, my love," Keith assured Allura as he pushed her hover chair towards the conference room where her aunt waited for her. (Orla and her ladies-in-waiting had been met by Coran and Nanny. Coran had brought Orla to the room while Nanny entertained the ladies.)

He had sensed his wife's distress from the moment he'd arrived back at Control.

She had convinced herself that her aunt was going to be angry with her when she found out that she'd lied about nearly dying. It took Orla three days to travel from her own kingdom to the Castle of Lions and Allura believed that when she learned that she'd come all this way because of a lie, she'd be furious because she'd wasted her time.

Keith wanted very badly to tell her that Orla wasn't going to be angry, just relieved, but he honestly didn't know the woman well enough to predict her reaction. Queen Orla did not come to visit Allura very often and that was understandable since she lived so far away. And when she was here, her time was mostly spent with Allura, Larmina, Nanny, and Coran. And while she did not interact much with the Voltron Force, she came across as a warm and friendly woman who loved her family very much. (She'd never taken the time to get to know the team as individuals, but Keith did not take it personally. She came to see her relatives and close friends and that was where she focused her time. It was clearly not meant as a snub.) If she was capable of the kind of anger Allura was predicting, he'd never seen a sign. But as he knew from personal experience, that didn't mean she wasn't.

"But what if it isn't?" Allura insisted, sounding more and more upset the closer they came to seeing Orla. "We both know she came all this way because she believes I nearly died. When she finds out I didn't... And that I lied to all of our people... Oh, why didn't I think to contact her before making my announcement! What was I thinking?"

"Allura, sweetheart, you're going to drive yourself crazy," Keith calmly told her, truly not seeing why Orla would get mad over this, but, again, he was not completely familiar with how she reacted in general to deception. "You've been understandably distracted by everything going on. No one can fault you for not thinking to contact her before making your speech. You had so many other things on your mind. If she can't understand that then that's her problem and not yours."

"But Keith-"

"Honestly, what is the worst thing that you think is going to happen if she's angry?" he continued, not allowing her to finish her protest.

"That she just leaves without giving me a chance to explain," she answered. "That she tells me she never wants to see me again."

"All right, then let me ask you this, have you ever known her to be angry enough to be that unreasonable?"

"No, but I've never been around her when she's been angry," Allura pointed out. "That's why I'm so worried, Keith. I've literally never seen Auntie angry. I have no idea what she's going to be like."

"So is it possible that you're completely wrong and she won't be mad at you at all?"

"I-I suppose..."

"Well then, let me suggest that you stop jumping to conclusions and just let whatever happens happen," he finished just as they reached the conference room. "All you're doing, my love, is upsetting yourself and that isn't good for you or our baby."

As he'd known it would, the baby comment had an immediate effect and Allura took a deep calming breath. 

"I'm sorry, Keith. I'm just... I'm..."

He moved around the hover chair to stand in front of her and knelt down so that their faces were level.

"I'm going to be with you the entire time," he reminded her. "I won't let Orla say or do anything to hurt you, okay?"

He honestly didn't think she would, but he knew Allura needed to hear the words.

"Okay," she nodded with a weak smile.

He leaned in and gave her a kiss.

"Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she told him.

"Let's do this," he said, standing up and activating the door control.

Inside, Orla and Coran were sitting at the table talking quietly.

Coran immediately got to his feet as Keith and Allura entered the room.

"Your Majesties," he greeted them.

But before either of them had a chance to return the greeting, Queen Orla shot up from her seat, crying out "Allura! I've been so worried!"

Keith saw a surprised expression appear on his wife's face as the queen swiftly came over to where Allura was and, bending down, enveloped her niece in a tight embrace.

"I need you to tell me everything that's happened, my darling," Orla spoke while still hugging Allura, giving indisputable proof that Allura had worried for absolutely no reason. "I know you weren't completely truthful in your announcement, but Coran has refused to tell me anything about what's really going on. I want to know how I can help you."

"Oh, Auntie," Allura happily sighed, tears running down her cheeks. "You're not angry."

Orla released her somewhat from her embrace so she could look into Allura's face.

"Angry? Why would I be angry?" she asked, sounding puzzled that Allura would say such a thing.

"Allura believed that you would be angry that she didn't warn you ahead of time that what she said about her injuries were exaggerated," Keith spoke up and Orla turned her attention to him. "She thought you'd feel you wasted your time coming to see her since she wasn't as badly hurt as she made it sound."

"That's absolute nonsense!" Orla declared, returning her attention to Allura. She took Allura's good hand in both of her own. "Coming to see you is never a waste of time, Sweetheart. Especially if you're having some kind of trouble." She looked to Keith and Coran, who had come to stand beside Keith. "Those injuries may not have been inflicted by an accident, but something caused them. And I want to know what it was."

Keith looked to Coran, who nodded at him. It had been decided earlier that it was Keith's place as Allura's husband to share the details of her ordeal with her aunt.

"Allura was taken by Doom and held there for nearly a week," he informed her.

"By all the gods!" Orla gasped, releasing her hold on Allura's hand as she covered her mouth and straightened up. "H-how?"

"It was an elaborate scheme devised by the witch Haggar," Keith explained, knowing that Orla knew from experience the extremes Haggar would go to in order to accomplish her goals. "She forced an innocent family to help her carry it out and then she executed them to keep them from talking. If it weren't for Lance, whom I'd sent with Allura as her guard, surviving the execution, we'd never have known what happened to Allura until it was too late."

"Thank all of the gods for that," Orla said. She turned her attention back to her niece. "Is that how you got hurt? When you were taken?"

Allura looked down at her lap, new tears falling down her face. "No. It was...after."

"Allura was brought to Lotor," Keith matter-of-factly told her and Orla's eyes widened in horror. There was no one on Arus who wasn't aware of the Doom prince's obsession with Allura and his consuming desire to marry her. "He personally inflicted all of her injuries."

"Oh, no," Orla breathed and Keith wondered if she truly realized the nature of the worst of Allura's injuries. "No."

"I will take my leave of you now," Coran spoke up. "I'm going to see if Nanny needs my assistance."

"Of course," Keith accepted, understanding that Coran wanted to give them their privacy. "We'll see you later."

Coran nodded and then he exited the conference room.

"Oh, Allura!" Orla cried, again taking her niece in her arms. "My sweet child, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I can't begin to imagine how horrible it was for you."

"I never thought it would end," Allura softly murmured through her tears. "I wanted to die."

"You're home safe now and that's all that matters," Orla assured her. She again looked up at Keith. "Why wasn't I notified when any of this happened?"

"We wanted as few people to know as possible," Keith informed her. "We feared the knowledge of her kidnapping becoming public, especially given the nature of Lotor's obsession with her. It would have created a mass panic among the people. We felt it best to act before anyone realized she was missing."

"But I'm her aunt," Orla protested. "I should have been told."

"Honestly, we were so busy putting together a rescue that we didn't think about it," he truthfully told her. "Because of what Lance had overheard Haggar telling Allura, we knew we had a very limited window of time to act."

"And that was?"

"Lotor wanted to impregnate her with his heir," Keith stated, knowing from his own experience how hard this was to hear. "And he was hoping to do so before they were married."

Allura started crying harder at the reminder and Orla turned her attention back to her.

Keith kept quiet and allowed Orla to do all of the comforting. Allura had been so afraid of losing her love that Keith was more than happy to let Orla prove to Allura how wrong she had been.

Finally, after Allura had calmed down, Orla asked, "She's pregnant, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"And that's the reason for the quiet marriage?"

"Yes," Keith answered again. "But don't think for one second that I don't love Allura. She is everything to me. I love her with all of my heart."

Orla gave a small smile. "There's never been a question of that. Your feelings for each other have always been quite obvious."

Keith smiled back. "That's what I've been told. Allura and I were apparently the only ones in the dark."

"I wish you two all of the happiness in the universe," Orla said. "I'm just sorry that it took such tragic circumstances to push you together. I wish I could have been there at the wedding."

"I'm sorry, Auntie," Allura spoke up. "Please forgive me."

"Oh, Allura, there is nothing to forgive," Orla told her. 

"I love you, Auntie."

"I love you too, Sweetheart," she assured her.

Again, she switched her attention back to Keith. "What are you doing to do once the baby is born? How will his or her mixed heritage be explained?"

Keith was impressed with how calmly and matter-of-factly Orla was taking and processing all of the information. Given the old-fashioned and traditional values of the Arusian people and their views on keeping bloodlines pure, it was surprising how well she was handling what had happened to Allura.

"We're actually hoping we won't have to," he said, knowing that what he was about to say might not be taken as calmly despite her open-mindedness. "There's a very slight chance that I'm the father of the baby. Allura and I were...intimate on the flight back from Doom. When the pregnancy was detected, the timeframe for conception included our time together."

"That would be wonderful and ideal," Orla said, once again surprising him, "but as you said, there's only a slight chance of that being the case. So I ask you again, how are you going to handle the baby if Lotor is the father?"

"To tell you the truth, we haven't really given it much thought beyond protecting him or her from Lotor," Keith admitted. "Our main concern has been Allura and getting her better from her ordeal."

"How far along is she?" Orla asked.

"Not even a month," Keith let her know. "A little over three weeks."

"And when can the baby's heritage be determined?"

"At the beginning of the second trimester," he informed her. 

"Ah, then you have time to plan," she stated. "That's very good. Of course, that means my stay will be longer than expected, but family must come first."

"You're-you're going to stay?" Allura spoke up, sounding surprised.

"Of course, my darling," Orla told her. "A woman needs other women around her during this special time and from what I can see, this castle is sorely lacking in women who are old enough to help you through this. I was at my sister's side when she carried you and I'll be at your side while you carry your child."

"Oh, Auntie! Thank you!"

"You're very welcome, my sweet girl."

Keith smiled as aunt and niece once again hugged each other tightly.

Orla's presence would be very good for Allura.

"Oh," Orla suddenly said, gently pulling away from Allura. "Before I forget." She reached out a hand towards Keith. "Welcome to the family."

Keith accepted the hand.

"Thank you," he warmly told her.

"I'm very honored to be a part of it."

(()) 

Although the view from Coba's eyes appearing in her crystal was limited due to his position under the table, Haggar had heard everything she needed to know.

Allura was indeed pregnant, which meant that she might truly have the key to her future ascendance to Doom's throne.

It was the best news she could have hoped for after sending her kitty into the Castle of Lions.

Though it was more than a little troubling to discover that the child had a slight chance of not being Lotor's...

But that was information to be kept to herself. Neither Zarkon nor Lotor needed to know that the child the princess carried might not be part Drule at all. (Lotor would fly into one of his childish rages once he found out _his_ future bride was voluntarily giving herself to his most hated enemy.) As long as they _believed_ the child was Lotor's... (She had time to form contingency plans if the child was not.)

"Come back to me as soon as you can, Kitty," she instructed Coba. "It is time for us to return to Doom."

Coba made a very quiet sound to show that he understood.

Unfortunately, he would have to wait until the conference room doors were open before he could sneak out, just as he'd waited to sneak in. 

But that gave Haggar the time she needed to choose exactly the right way to give Zarkon the good news.

The words had to be just right.

And the most beneficial to her own plans.


	4. Chapter 4

 

**Author's Notes:**

Well, it's been more that a couple of months since my last update! Life is very busy and, unfortunately, I haven't had much writing time. But I've been able to find some and these seventeen pages are the result. I had hoped for this new section to be a little longer, but I wanted to post something before too much time went by. I promise my next posting will be longer and, hopefully, will be the end of the story.  
Just a reminder that this story takes place in the "Voltron Force" version of the universe during the time frame of the original "Defender of the Universe" series. As I'm not a big fan of "Legendary Defender," I am not incorporating any elements from the new show.  
Please contact me with any questions or comments.  
Thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

  


"Are you ready?" Keith asked Allura as she adjusted her arms around his neck in preparation to be picked up.

"Ready," she verified and he lifted her up from the bench that she had been sitting on.

He carried her the few steps across the large royal bathchamber to where the oversized tub awaited them.

It had been Aunt Orla's idea for she and Keith to bathe together. Three weeks ago, they had been leaving the infirmary after Doctor Gorma had finally removed her leg casts (she had never thought that the day would arrive!) and Allura had commented how she couldn't wait to take a real bath again. (Since she had been unable to shower or submerge in a tub with both legs in casts, Keith had had to wash her the best he could with a washcloth while she sat on either a chair or the toilet. Her hair had been the easiest part of her to have washed since all she had to do was lean over a sink.) Auntie had been waiting for them and overheard Allura's excited words, to which she'd slyly remarked "You know, you'd enjoy it a lot more if you shared the tub with your husband."

Allura's instantaneous reaction had been to blush. There was no question what Auntie was implying. Orla was very open and blunt when it came to sex and intimacy, a trait Allura had yet to get used to. (She had been raised to believe that such things were not openly discussed and it still somewhat embarrassed her to talk about them with Keith even when they were completely alone.) 

But Auntie had no way of knowing that the majority of their bathing sessions _had_ in fact led to lovemaking. (And more often than not, she had been the one to initiate...) And that had been when she was the only one not wearing any clothes. 

If the two of them were together in the tub already naked...

It was doubtful any actual bathing would take place!

To cover her embarrassment, she had pointed out that the bathtub in her quarters was only big enough for one person. It would be impossible for both of them to fit at once. She had asserted that while it was a nice suggestion, it could never happen. (Secretly, she'd found it _very_ tempting.) 

Orla's immediate counter had been that the bathroom suite in the royal quarters was quite large and the tub in there would easily accommodate the two of them. (Which was true. As a small child, Mother and Father had often brought her into the tub with them, which she had believed to be a soapy and warm swimming pool.) There was no reason, in Orla's opinion, why they couldn't take their baths there despite Allura's feelings on using her parents' rooms.

"It's not as if you would be actually using any of their things," she had matter-of-factly pointed out. "It would just be a bath."

Allura had made it very clear why she didn't want to even go _into_ her parents' quarters. In her mind, as long as everything inside remained undisturbed, she could pretend that they weren't really gone. Logically, she understood that it was a silly and fanciful notion (after all, she did constantly speak with Father's ghost), but it gave her comfort to hold on to it. It was just something that made her feel better. She knew Keith, Coran, Nanny, Romelle, and Auntie did not agree with her, but so far they'd respected her wishes. (Keith and Coran had even stopped suggesting that she bring up the subject of moving into them with her father.)

"I know you don't want to hear it, but I agree with Orla," Keith, who had remained quiet for most of the exchange, had finally spoken up. "It makes the most sense to use your parents' bathroom. You won't be able to bathe yourself until you can stand on your own and it really would make things a lot easier if I just got into the tub with you. And your parents' bathtub is the only one large enough in the castle to accommodate both of us. 

"And if we bring in our own supplies, we wouldn't be using anything of your parents' at all," he had added. "Just the tub. Will you at least think about it, my love?"

Allura had, and after about an hour debating with herself, had decided that the need for a real bath outweighed her concerns about disturbing the memories of her parents.

And then they'd taken their first bath together and all thoughts of being in her parents' quarters had been pushed aside.

Keith had kept her mind very occupied with other things.

_Pleasurable_ things...

And three weeks later, their shared baths had become a three-times-a-week routine that Allura looked forward to.

Keith stepped into the filled bathtub and lowered Allura down onto one of the built-in seats.

She slowly moved her still very weak legs through the wonderfully warm water while he settled down next to her.

Both of her legs had atrophied from disuse while her broken bones healed and, much to her dismay, building up her strength was going to take several weeks, possibly months. Meesla, her physical therapist (who, coincidentally, happened to be the sister of Keyat's brother's wife), assured her that she was on track to being able to stand without assistance very soon and that she just needed to be patient. (Keith, who was with her for every therapy session, informed Meesla that patience was not one of Allura's strong points, which had earned him a stuck out tongue from his offended wife. "So unladylike!" he'd shot back.)

"How are you feeling about tomorrow?" Keith asked as he pulled her close and rested a hand on her slightly rounded belly. "Nervous? Excited? A little of both?" 

She smiled at how well her husband knew her.

The next morning she was going to have her first ultrasound. She had reached the eleventh week of her pregnancy and both Keyat and Doctor Gorma felt that it would be best to follow the standard human timeline for check-ups despite not knowing the baby's true paternity. Although she was still within the first trimester and it was too early to do genetic or gender testing, the ultrasound would allow them to check the baby's growth and development. (Although Keyat's nanoprobes would give a much clearer image than an ultrasound, they had not been tested on a fetus older than a month and she did not want to risk harming Allura's baby.)

"A little of both," she replied. "I mean, we're going to see our baby for the first time. Our actual baby! I know he or she is in there, but to really _see_ him or her... It feels so surreal."

Because she had not really begun to show yet, it was sometimes difficult for her to wrap her mind around the fact that a baby was growing inside of her. Of course, there was no question of that fact when she woke up with severe morning sickness (she couldn't wait for that to be over!), but most days she didn't feel very different. The majority of her symptoms were very subtle and were mixed with the aches and pains of her other healing injuries. She knew it wouldn't be long before everything changed.

"If you think it's surreal just now, just wait until you start feeling movement," Keith gently teased, rubbing her stomach. "There won't be any question of whether or not you have a baby growing in there. He or she won't let you forget." 

She smiled again. She loved how excited and supportive Keith was being of her pregnancy despite the fact that he most likely wasn't the biological father. It went a long way in easing her fears of the future. (She constantly worried about the kind of mother she was going to make, but she tried not to mention it to Keith very often since all he did was tell her she was going to be wonderful.) 

"Lance informed me that I won't be getting much sleep once that happens," she teasingly shot back. Lance was constantly trying to give her "advice" about her pregnancy. Thankfully, he never got very far before someone more knowledgeable (i.e. Nanny) chased him off. "He's also said some other things that I refuse to repeat because I know you'd go kill him right this second if I did."

She felt the vibration of Keith's laugh. There was no need to elaborate on what was meant by "other things."

"First of all, you shouldn't be listening to a word Lance says," he told her. "He's the last person who should be giving you pregnancy advice period. Any knowledge he has was probably gotten to impress whichever woman he was after at the time and is most likely inaccurate. 

"Second of all," he continued, turning her around in the water to face him, "I'm just going to go kill him on principle for trying to give you advice when I have repeatedly very nicely asked him not to."

"When has that ever stopped him before?"

"Good point," Keith conceded, kissing her. "It would probably be easier if I just locked him in his quarters and took away his Voltcom for the duration of your pregnancy."

"Good luck keeping him in there," she commented. "If anyone has ways of sneaking out, it would be Lance."

"All right, enough about Lance," he declared, kissing her a second time. "I would much rather focus on us and our baby."

"I'd like that very much," she told him. "In fact, I've been wanting to tell you that I've actually started thinking about names."

"You have? Really?"

She smiled at the surprise in his voice. Although they didn't often talk about it, he knew how anxious she was about becoming a mother. He understood that choosing a name for their baby was a big step for her.

"I know that it's a little early, but since I still can't do much that doesn't involve sitting, I've been spending a lot of my free time reading," she said. "One of the books I was looking at is a history of Earth's monarchies."

"There were a lot of those," he commented as he picked up a washcloth and started gently scrubbing her left arm.

"I know and while I was reading, I was thinking that since we're, you know, a monarchy too, that we should pick a royal name for our baby. A royal Earth name."

The idea had come to her when she noticed that on Earth, especially in the area of the planet known as Europe, there were specific names repeatedly given to children within the same family. While she found it strange to name one's child after yourself, she liked the idea that there were certain names considered royal. Since Keith had been born and raised on Earth, she wanted to honor that part of his background by choosing a name for their baby from his homeworld. Nanny, Auntie, and Romelle had all loved the idea.

"We can name our baby whatever you want," he told her, working the washcloth onto her other arm. "If a 'royal Earth name,' as you call it, is what will make you happy, then that's the kind of name you choose. I'll be fine with whatever you pick. You know I'm happy as long as you're happy."

"You mean you'll be happy as long as I don't name him Lance if he's a boy?" she teasingly questioned.

"Hey, if you want to make his ego bigger than it already is, who am I to stop you?"

She giggled. "If we have a boy, I'd like to name him Richard Arthur and if we have a girl, the name I chose is Sophia Isabella."

"Sophia and Richard," Keith repeated. "I like them."

"You do? I'm so glad," she said, thrilled to have his approval. "It took me days to narrow it down to just those two."

She'd originally had around twenty names (there were several repetitions of pairs with the first and middle names reversed) for each gender and she'd slowly but surely whittled the list down to the two names she'd finally settled on. 

"They're perfect," he assured her, stopping his scrubbing of her body so he could give her another kiss. "Of course, we won't know which one we'll be giving our baby until we know if we are having a boy or a girl."

"Keyat says we won't be able to tell for sure for another month or so," she told him as he resumed washing her, turning her around so he could start on her back. "So until then we'll have to keep saying he or she."

"Honestly, I don't care which we one we're having," he said, pushing her hair over her shoulder. "As long as he or she is born healthy."

_And hopefully fully human,_ she silently added.

She knew the chances of Keith being the biological father were very small, but that didn't stop her from hoping and praying that he was. 

It was the only way that her baby would truly be safe from that monster... 

"I know you don't believe me," Keith interrupted her thoughts, "but you are going to be the most amazing mother."

"Remind me why you think that again," she countered. "Because I honestly have no idea what I'm going to have to do and it scares me to death."

Keith stopped the washcloth's movements and turned her back around to face him.

"Of course you're scared," he gently spoke, placing a hand against her cheek. "So am I. Having a baby is something new for the both of us. Neither of us have any experience at being parents. Yes, we don't know what to we're going to have to do now, but we're going to learn. And you, my love, are going to be great once you do. And the reason I know that is because I know how you are once you set your mind to doing something. Look at your piloting of Blue Lion. You had so much trouble in the beginning and now you're as good as if you'd gone to the academy with the rest of us."

"But being a mother isn't the same," she pointed out, needing him to understand how she felt. "If I mess up while flying, the only one I'm endangering is myself. But if I mess up while caring for the baby... You're so certain that I'm going to be great and amazing, but what if I'm not? What if I can't master any of the skills I need to take care of my child? What if I'm just a terrible mother period? 

"You know what I'm the most frightened of?" she continued, not giving him the chance to interject. She felt tears begin to fill her eyes as she spoke. "That because I'm so terrible at everything, I'll accidentally hurt our baby. And if that happens, I'll never forgive myself. And you would never forgive me either. Especially if..."

She refused to voice the last thought. It was her deepest fear about her impending motherhood.

The only thing she was more scared of than Lotor being the biological father...

Keith pulled her into his arms.

"Allura, sweetheart," he soothingly spoke. "That is _never_ going to happen, my love. _Never._ And do you know why?"

She shook her head.

"Because you are never going to be in a position where you're left alone with the baby until everyone, including yourself, agrees that you're ready," he informed her. "You have a castle full of people who are ready to help you day and night. I'm going to be by your side the whole time and any questions we have, Nanny, Keyat, and Doctor Gorma will be able to answer because they're all experts when it comes to childcare. So, truthfully, it will be impossible for you to do anything so wrong that you'd cause our baby harm because there will always be someone there to stop you. Okay?"

"O-okay," she managed, feeling just the slightest bit of relief. 

Her fears were still there and probably wouldn't go away any time soon (she was over six months away from giving birth and that was a long time for thoughts to circle endlessly through her mind), but she had to admit that there was logic to what Keith was telling her. Her fear-driven mind kept ignoring the fact that she would have all the help she could ever want or need with the baby. But having Keith point out that she would never be alone before she was ready was reassuring. It was something she would need to constantly hear until she allowed herself to believe it. 

He kissed the top of her head. "Promise you'll talk to me whenever you start to worry about stuff like this again."

"I promise," she assured him. "But," she added in a teasing voice, wanting to lighten the conversation, "I worry about it a lot. So we may be having this conversation quite often."

"You really think you're the only one of us worrying about what it's going to be like when our baby arrives?" he countered. "I probably have less of an idea what to expect than you do. All I know is that we're going to have a lot of sleepless nights in the beginning. And that is basically the extent of my baby knowledge."

She looked up at him, honestly surprised. "I don't believe it. _That's_ all you know? You? Really?"

Keith always appeared so knowledgeable about everything. And the way he was so certain about how things were going to be fine after the baby was born... 

"Why do you think I keep telling you that _you're_ going to be the amazing parent?" he shot back. "Because I don't think I'm going to be much good in the beginning for anything other than moral support. I'm leaving all the heavy lifting to you, my queen."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks a lot, my king. I hope you'll be more helpful when it comes to running our entire planet."

"Ah, piece of cake," he declared. "But babies, not so much."

"I'm so glad I'm finding this about you now," she deadpanned. "Thank goodness I'll know who _not_ to turn to when I'm at my wits' end trying to take care of our child."

"Hey, you never asked," he teasingly replied.

"Because I made the mistake of assuming you'd know more than I do," she retorted. "You know more than anybody else in just about everything else!"

"I wouldn't go that far," he countered. "Just ask Lance. Oh, and you know what they say about people who assume."

"Hey, that's what you get for being the calm and collected one in this relationship," she informed him. "I can never tell what you're feeling most of the time. You're very good at hiding your feelings, you know. Why do you think I was so surprised to find out you actually loved me?"

Instead of verbally replying, he leaned down and kissed her passionately and deeply.

Her body instantly reacted and she could feel him responding to their kiss as well.

When he released her, he asked, "Can you tell what I'm feeling now?"

"Not at all," she breathlessly answered, trying to hide a smile. "Try again."

So he did and this time when he broke the kiss, Allura had no desire to continue teasing him.

"I love you so much," she seriously told him.

"I love you too," he echoed.

And then he kissed her again.

And then the kiss turned into much, much more.

*** 

Allura gasped in surprise as Keyat squeezed the ultrasound gel onto her exposed belly. She had not expected the substance to feel so cool against her skin.

"All right?" Keith asked her from his chair beside the examining table.

"I'm fine," she assured him, taking his hand. "I didn't know it was going to feel cold. It just surprised me, that's all."

"Oh, would you like me to wipe it off and warm it up before reapplying, Your Majesty?" Keyat wanted to know as she put the bottle down. "It would not be a problem."

"No, that's all right," Allura waved her off. "I'm fine. As I said, it just took me by surprise."

"I apologize for not giving you a warning about the gel," Keyat said as she picked up the transducer probe. "It honestly didn't cross my mind. It's been some time since I've performed one of these myself since my focus lately has been on my nanoprobes."

"It's all right, really," Allura promised. "As I keep telling you, I'm fine. Please, continue with the procedure." 

"All right," Keyat nodded and lifted the transducer in Allura's direction. "Are you ready to see your baby?"

Allura gripped Keith's hand even tighter as they shared a look.

This was the moment they had been waiting for all morning. 

They were finally going to have a glimpse of the child growing inside of her.

"Yes," Allura finally spoke.

"Okay," Keyat said as she tapped keys on the control panel, "here we go." 

And then she pressed the transducer against Allura's belly.

Instantly, an image projected into the air in front of them. It was black and white and at first, Allura wasn't sure what she was looking at.

And then...

"By the gods," she breathed as her eyes focused on the clearly humanoid shape in the center of the black space.

As she watched, the tiny arms and legs furiously waved and kicked right before her eyes.

She felt Keith press a kiss to her hand.

"Say hello to your baby," Keyat proclaimed and she slightly moved the transducer against Allura's skin, causing the picture to refresh and show a different view. "Who is clearly very active today."

"I...I..." she started, unable to put what she was feeling into to words.

It was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. Displayed in the air in front of her was _her child._ Her child that was at this very moment was growing (and moving!) inside of her.

A child that, in a little more than six months, she and Keith would have in their arms.

A child that, no matter his or her paternity, would be so very loved.

Happy tears began to fill her eyes.

In that moment, all of her fears and worries fell away. She was going to do everything in her power to be the very best mother she could be to this person she now couldn't wait to meet.

"I can already tell that this one is going to be a handful," Keith teasingly declared. "There's no question that she or he takes after his or her mommy."

"Oh, really? What makes you say that?" she shot back, knowing that he had instantly fallen in love with their baby the same way she had. Like her, he did not care whether or not he was the biological father. "Because it looks to me that he or she doesn't like to rest just like Daddy."

"So I don't rest, do I?" he retorted. "What do you call all of the time I've been spending with you?"

"Being a good husband," Allura matter-of-factly informed him, which made Keyat laugh out loud.

"She's got you there, Your Majesty," the Ebbian cheerfully stated as she moved the transducer again and the imaged refreshed showing a slightly different angle. "I'll have to remember this after Terin and I finally marry and have children of our own." 

"I don't think he's going to give you any of the trouble that my husband gives me," Allura informed her with a smile. She'd met Terin when he'd come to visit Keyat a month ago. He was perfectly happy to let his boisterous fiancée run the show when they were together. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"I hope you're right," Keyat quipped. "It would be shame if I had to replace him after spending so many years training him to be just right."

Allura couldn't help but laugh at the outrageous statement.

"I'm very grateful that my husband came to me with impeccable manners," she said, giving Keith's hand a squeeze. "Even Nanny has a hard time finding anything to complain about."

Keith snorted. "Not for lack of trying. For the first time in my life, I'm extremely grateful for all of the etiquette training the academy puts officers through."

"Nanny just wants you to be the best king you can be," Allura pointed out. "It's proof that she likes you. Otherwise I'm sure she'd still be trying to find a different husband for me. Not that it would matter. You're mine forever."

"Good to know," he smiled. "But I'd still hate to be on Nanny's bad side. She pretty much runs the castle, you know. If she wanted to get rid of me..."

"She wouldn't dare!" Allura proclaimed, trying to imagine the short and round Nanny harming her tall and extremely strong husband. Honestly, she just couldn't see it! "She'd have a lot of angry people to deal with." 

As they were talking, their baby settled down right before their eyes.

"Ah, it looks like nap time," Keyat stated as she again moved the probe for a slightly different image. "The little one tired him- or herself out. This is something you'll be very grateful for in later months."

Allura smiled as she thought about her conversation with Keith the previous evening about movement and lack of sleep. 

"What's that fluttering motion?" Keith asked, pointing towards a part of the small body that seemed to be constantly flickering. It was easier to spot now that the baby had stopped his or her furious movements. "Is that the heart?"

"Very good," Keyat praised him. "That's exactly what that is." 

She turned her attention back to her console and, with the hand that was not holding the transducer, moved the cursor on the image to where the heart was steadily beating.

"Why don't we take a listen?"

She clicked something and the room was suddenly filled with the baby's heartbeat, the sound of which brought more joyful tears to Allura's eyes.

At the bottom of the image, an electrocardiogram graphically showed the heartbeat.

"Oh my..." she murmured, once more overwhelmed by everything she was seeing and experiencing. "I..."

Keith gave her hand another squeeze.

"Just from looking at the image, your baby appears to be growing and developing right on schedule," Keyat told them. She moved the cursor again and this time it created a line that ran the length of the baby. "He or she is measuring about an inch and a half, which is perfect for this point in his or her development." 

Keyat's words caught Allura's attention.

When she said that her baby was developing perfectly...

"Does...does that mean... I mean, can you tell... Is my baby fully human?"

Oh, for Keyat to tell her that he or she was...

Keyat sighed and Allura felt her heart sink.

Keith's grip on her hand tightened.

"To be honest, it would be irresponsible for me to speculate without enough information," Keyat told her after shutting off the audio. "You're so close to entering your second trimester, which is when we'll be able to conduct definitive genetic testing. At this point, it would be best not to make any assumptions. Truthfully, we don't know enough about Drule development and physiology to make comparisons to humans. If this child is a hybrid, there's no way of determining which physical traits of which species will be dominant."

Allura nodded her understanding. She knew Keyat was right. She just wanted to know the truth once and for all so she could prepare for her child's future safety.

"In three weeks, you'll have your answer, I promise," Keyat let her know.

"We appreciate your honesty," Keith spoke for both of them. "And we trust your judgment."

"You've been so good to us," Allura added. "Thank you for everything you've done."

"It's been my pleasure, Your Majesties," Keyat said with a smile. "I look forward to helping you with your future children as well."

"Good, because I plan on having a big family," Allura let her know. All of her fears of motherhood seemed so far away at the moment. Now that she'd seen her baby, she felt ready to embrace the challenge. "And I want a doctor I can trust."

"A big family, huh?" Keyat repeated. "In that case, I may have to consider permanently relocating here to Arus. It'll be a lot easier!"

"How about we get through baby number one before we start planning any more children," Keith suggested with a laugh. "I'd like to experience this whole parenting thing with one child first before adding any more."

"Spoilsport!" she mock-pouted.

In the projected image, their baby decided that naptime was over and started wiggling all over again.

"I've recorded the scan if you'd like to take a copy with you," Keyat let them know.

"I'd love one, thank you," Allura said, knowing there were several people who would want to view it, Aunt Orla especially. (She doubted Larmina would have any interest in it.)

"Okay, I think that does it for this session," Keyat said and after she pressed a button, the image vanished from the air and Allura felt a tinge of disappointment that she could no longer look at her baby.

She picked up a cloth and handed it to Allura.

"Clean yourself off while I prepare a disc of the scan for you."

Allura accepted the cloth and began wiping away the gel.

As she did, she was suddenly hit with the intense need to use the bathroom.

"Um, I-"

"That'll be your full bladder finally making itself known," Keyat knowingly said. Allura had been required to drink several glasses of water before her ultrasound. "You go right ahead and the disc will be waiting when you get back."

"Thank you!" she said as she quickly removed the rest of the gel from her belly, pulled down her blouse, and sat up in the chair.

Keith helped her move into her waiting hoverchair.

"Hurry, please!" she insisted. "I've got to go!"

Keith obliged and rushed her out of the examining room to the nearest bathroom, which thankfully was just down the hall.

He helped her stand and undo her pants then she settled onto the toilet with a sigh of relief.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," she informed him. "I didn't think I was going to make it."

"So," he commented as she finished up, "that wasn't as bad as you thought, was it?"

"Oh, Keith, it was absolutely amazing," she informed him as he helped her stand from the toilet. "I had no idea... By the gods, we got to see and... I can't wait to meet him or her in person."

Keith smiled as he assisted her in dressing and sitting back in the hoverchair. 

"So, are you still as frightened about being a mother as you were last night?" he asked as he pushed her to the sink.

"No," she honestly answered as she washed her hands. "Not even a little bit."

And she meant it. Somehow, seeing her baby had erased every single one of her fears. It was unbelievable but true.

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear it," he said as she dried off. "The last thing I want is for you to be afraid of this wonderful thing.

"And our baby _is_ a wonderful thing even if I'm not the biological father," he added. "He or she is going to be so loved."

"I love you," she told him. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," he answered, bending down to kiss her. "Now, let's go get that disc from Keyat so you can share it with everybody."

"Even Lance?" she teased.

"Well, maybe not _everybody,_ " he retorted as he pushed her out of the bathroom. "We need to have standards, you know."

"Is that what you call them?" she shot back.

"Let's just say that keeping our children away from Lance even before they're born is a priority," he lightly informed her. "For their safety and our sanity."

"You may have a point there," she replied. "One of him is enough. If any of our children start acting like him..."

"See, I knew you'd get it!" Keith replied and they both laughed as they returned to the examining room where Keyat waited with a copy of the ultrasound.

*** 

"You can leave now," Lotor dismissed the slave girl as he moved from his position on top of her and lay on his side, his back to her. "Your presence is no longer required."

The girl, who was one of the more recent additions to his harem, did not pause in her sniffling as she quickly obeyed him.

She was one of the ten slaves he had brought with him on his assignment. He'd chosen only the most subservient of women to accompany him. None of them would give him any problems. (He'd have enough trouble with his father's minions. The last thing he needed was to have to waste time disciplining a willful girl.) The most they would do, as this girl had demonstrated, was cry the entire time he used their bodies for his pleasure.

Sadly, none of them could satisfy him the way his Allura did, but they would have to do until he could retrieve her (and hopefully their child) from Arus. He did, after all, have needs.

He listened as the girl swiftly gathered her discarded clothes and exited his bedchamber, still sniveling as she went.

Once she was gone, he rolled onto his back and stretched out in his bed, ready to unwind after his very busy day. (He'd had to execute four members of a planet's ruling council before the remaining ones had seen reason. It was a shame they'd backed down so quickly. It had been weeks since he'd gotten to kill anyone and he'd been enjoying himself.) The session with the slave had been pleasurable, but he did not consider it relaxation. (After all, he'd done all of the work.) To him, relaxation was allowing his mind to wander to Allura and all of the ways he was going to eventually win her love.

And he _would_ win it. He _always_ got what he wanted.

_Always._

He would just have to continue to be patient with her. She would not get over her hatred of him overnight. She'd felt that way towards him for years. It would take a lot of hard work on his part to correct his previous mistakes to ensure that she stopped viewing him as, in her words, "a monster". (He blamed Haggar for everything that had gone wrong during the one glorious week he'd had her. Why had he listened to that old hag and her insistence that he impregnate her immediately? He should have gone with his gut to wait until after marriage before bedding her.) He needed to romance her and prove his love to her.

It was a shame he didn't know much about her wants and desires. (Again, the witch was to blame for this oversight. They should have been having conversations getting to know one another rather than the constant lovemaking before their marriage.) Other than her futile wishes for her planet to be left alone, he truly didn't know anything about her beyond her incredible beauty and soft heart. What kinds of jewels and gifts would please her? What could he give her that would make her the happiest?

He wondered how much longer this mission would keep him away from Arus and his Allura. He'd been gone nearly five months as it was. (He constantly wondered what his beloved was up to. If she was carrying his child, she and everyone closest to her would know by now. And they would know that she could not escape her future as his queen.) But as impatient as he was feeling to be with her again, he knew that it would be worth it in the end because Father had agreed to perform the marriage ceremony after he completed his assignment. And once he and Allura were married...

It perturbed him that his so-called partner in the endeavor to overthrow his father had not once attempted to contact him with news of his Allura. He doubted her silence had anything to do with lack of opportunity. Haggar was very good at doing what she wanted when she wanted. No, she had a reason for not contacting him and he was eager to know what it was. 

He doubted that it was because she had betrayed him to Father. Not at this point in their arrangement, anyway. He knew the old witch too well. She had nothing to gain from double-crossing him now. (This mission was _helping_ his father. Sabotaging it would be counterproductive if she'd switched sides again.) If she was going to turn on him, it would be after he returned to Doom.

So it obviously had something to do with Allura herself. But what? What would she not want him to know about his future queen?

There were several possibilities. The first and most distasteful was that she had thrown herself into the arms of that damnable commander. Lotor had seen the way he'd held her during the escape. There was no question that Keith had designs on _his_ princess. And Allura, being the softhearted innocent fool he knew her to be, would believe that he loved her (which he very well could considering the way he went out of his way to protect her from him) and would fall in love with him in return.

That would be the worst scenario. Getting Allura back would be extremely difficult and it would involve killing the commander once and for all, something he'd failed at more times than he cared to remember. But if it was the only way he could reclaim what was rightfully his, he would make sure he at last succeeded. Nothing was going to keep Allura from being his queen.

_Nothing._

Another possibility was that once her pregnancy was discovered, she'd have been quickly married off to the first available prince. While it was a much less distressing option, it provided challenges of its own, such as eliminating her husband and as a result, making a new enemy of the empire. But it was much more palatable than thinking of Allura with _him._

The one he favored the most and believed to be the most likely was that Haggar was keeping silent because she had been wrong about the pregnancy altogether. The witch had made such a big deal over the importance of him creating an heir immediately that she probably feared that _he'd_ betray _her_ when it came out that there wasn't one. Truthfully, the hag had nothing to worry about. Children were something that could be created at his leisure once he and Allura were married. Yes, a child would have made it much easier to bring Allura back to Doom, but the lack of one changed nothing. Allura would ultimately become his queen. It was just a matter of time.

The most important thing he could do at the moment was ensure that the marriage would take place and that meant finishing this mission. Without Father's participation, there'd be no wedding.

He just hoped it wouldn't take too much longer to get through the rest of the list. 

The sooner he visited all the planets, the sooner he could return to Doom.

And the sooner he returned to Doom, the sooner Allura would be his again.

*** 

"Welcome, Your Majesties," Doctor Gorma greeted Keith and Allura as they entered into his office. Keyat was already sitting in one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Please be seated and we can get started."

Keith kept a light hand on Allura's arm as she used her walker to move towards the vacant chair beside Keyat's.

Allura had been overjoyed the previous week when Meesla had finally declared her ready to start walking instead of being confined to a hover chair. Her elation had been short-lived, however, when Meesla had promptly presented her with the walker. (The shocked expression on her face had been priceless. His poor love had really thought she'd been ready to walk on her own.) Allura's heart had continued to sink as she was told that while her leg muscles had regained a great deal of strength, it would be a while before they could support her weight unaided. She still had a lot of work and healing to do. 

Keith could understand his wife's frustration. Allura was fiercely independent and hated that she was still unable to do something as simple as walking on her own. She wanted her legs to be completely healed _now._ (She did not seem to understand how severe the breaks had been and the extent of the damage that had been done to the surrounding muscles and tendons. Doctor Gorma had said that she was extremely lucky the breaks had been so clean or she would have needed surgery.) She didn't like being constantly told that her body still needed more time to heal. (Which was why she kept trying to push herself too hard too soon. Keith had lost count of the number of times she'd been scolded by both doctors, Meesla, Coran, and Nanny. He himself had kept his mouth shut because he wanted to remain on his beloved's good side.) 

Once she had reached her chosen seat, Keith helped her gently lower her awkward body into the chair. At nearly seventeen weeks, her belly, while not yet huge, was very prominent and it was affecting the way she moved. Normally simple tasks such as sitting down were starting to be difficult due to her larger size. 

After she was settled, he sat down beside her and immediately took hold of her hand.

This was the day they had been both waiting for and dreading.

This was the day that would finally learn their baby's paternity.

Three weeks ago, Keyat had performed an amniocentesis on Allura and the collected genetic material had been sent to a lab on Ebb to be cultured and examined. Keyat herself had chosen the lab because the brother of her cousin's wife worked there and he had promised to fast-track the results for her. (Somehow it didn't surprise Keith to find out that yet another member of Keyat's extended family worked in the medical field.)

Now the results were in and they were about to find out the truth about who had fathered Allura's child.

"Have either of you had a chance to look at the report yet?" Keith asked both doctors.

"No, we thought it best to wait until you were both present," Doctor Gorma answered. "We know how anxious you both are to learn the results."

Now _there_ was an understatement if Keith had ever heard one.

"Let's see what they have to say, shall we?" the doctor continued, pressing a button on the tablet that lay on his desk.

A holographic document was projected into the air and the only part Keith could clearly make out was an image of the DNA double-helix. The majority of the document were rows and columns made up of text too small for him to read from his position.

As the doctor scanned the information, Allura gripped his hand so tightly that it was near painful.

After a few moments, Doctor Gorma said, "Ah, here were are. According to the DNA analysis, the fetus's genetic makeup is one hundred percent human. No foreign markers were found within the samples."

Keith was too stunned to react while Allura's hands flew to her face as a sob of relief burst out.

One hundred percent human. Their baby was one hundred percent human.

Lotor was _not_ the father.

_He_ was.

Their baby was truly _theirs._

The sound of Allura's tears shook him out of his paralysis and he pulled her into his arms as best he could from their side by side position.

It was the news that they had been hoping and praying for, but there was a part of Keith that has been convinced that the baby was Lotor's. It was hard for him to wrap his mind around the fact that the monster _wasn't_ the father. Lotor had forced himself on Allura again and again during her hellish imprisonment. It seemed impossible that she _wouldn't_ have gotten pregnant from him. 

Yet, she hadn't.

Instead, the child had resulted from the first time they had made love.

Their son or daughter was the product of _their_ love, not the nightmare his beloved had suffered through. 

It was a miracle. 

"Thank you, Doctor," he finally managed as his wife continued to cry. "You have no idea how much we were hoping to hear that."

"Oh, I think we do," Keyat spoke up. "Congratulations, Daddy."

Keith couldn't help but smile at being called "Daddy." "This is the best news we could have gotten."

To Allura, he added, "Lotor won't be interested in a child that isn't his. Our baby is safe from him, my love. He won't have a reason to try to take him or her away from us. He's not the father."

Allura looked up from where she had buried her face in his chest. "I... It's so...so hard to believe... All these months of not knowing and praying... To finally know..." She placed her hands on her belly. "Our baby is really and truly ours. _Ours._ "

"Yes, _ours,_ " he repeated, kissing her on the top of her head. "Yours and mine. Our baby."

He knew that this would do nothing to change Lotor's obsessive need to have Allura as his queen, but at least their child would not be part of his insane plans.

"Is there anything else you'd like to know about your baby?" Doctor Gorma spoke up. "The gender, perhaps?"

Allura instantly straightened in her chair. "Oh, yes, please! We've been dying to know! What are we having?"

Again, Keith could not hold back a smile. He loved how Allura could go from tears to excitement in a matter of seconds.

"A girl," the doctor informed them.

Keith watched as Allura's face lit up at the reveal.

"A girl," she breathed, again laying her hands on her belly and looking at Keith with complete happiness. "We're having a girl!"

Although they had agreed that it did not matter if they had a girl or a boy, Allura had told him that she was secretly hoping for a girl. (When they had both had been certain that Lotor was most likely the father, Allura had believed that Lotor probably wouldn't have much interest in a female heir. If she gave him a daughter, she had thought he possibly wouldn't try as hard to bring her to Doom.)

"Have you thought of a name yet?" Keyat asked.

"Sophia," Allura informed her with a smile. "Sophia Isabella. Sophie for short."

"What a lovely name," Keyat smiled back. 

"Thank you," Allura accepted. 

"Skimming over the report, nothing jumps out at me as a cause for concern," Doctor Gorma told them. "Sophia appears to be a perfectly normal and perfectly healthy baby."

"That's wonderful to hear," Keith told him, taking Allura's hand back in his own. "Thank you so much for everything. Both of you."

"You are so very welcome, Your Majesties," Doctor Gorma said. "We are very happy to be here to support you through this new experience."

"Do you have any other questions or concerns while you have both of us here?" Keyat asked.

"No, I think the big one we got the answer to was it," Keith let her know. He looked at his wife. "Unless you have something?"

She shook her head. "Nothing about the baby." She gestured towards the hated walker. "I just want to be walking on my own again."

"Ah," Keyat smiled knowingly. "I've heard all about your impatience from Meesla. But from what she's told me, you're progressing very well and it shouldn't be more than a month or two before you're able to walk without assistance."

Allura heaved a sigh. 

"I just don't understand why it's taking so long for my legs to get their strength back," she complained. "It's been nearly five months since they were broken. My shoulder was injured at the same time and it's been back to normal for a long time." 

"You seem to be forgetting something very important and that something is named Sophie," Keyat pointed out. "From the moment her egg became implanted in your uterus, your body has been diverting resources for her growth and development. And the bigger she gets, the more resources she requires. Your shoulder healed while she was still fairly tiny. She's grown quite a bit since then and that makes a big difference. Your body is giving her priority over your legs, which is how it should be.

"You're going to find that everything heals much more slowly this far into your pregnancy," Keyat continued. "Even tiny cuts and scrapes. Broken bones, on the other hand, take a lot more effort for your body to mend in general." She turned to Doctor Gorma. "What is the normal length of time for a broken bone to repair itself?"

"Six to eight weeks," Doctor Gorma supplied. "Her Majesty's legs were fully fused in twelve and a half, which is fairly rapid considering both the severity of her injuries and her pregnancy." 

"You see?" Keyat said. "Your body is working better than you think it is. You're letting your impatience get the better of you."

"Patience has never been Allura's strong suit," Keith lightly commented, knowing that there wasn't a single person in the room, his beloved included, who would deny it.

"Hey!" she defended herself, yanking her hand out of his grasp and crossing her arms. "You're supposed to be on my side."

"I _am_ on your side, my queen," he informed her, reaching out and reclaiming her hand. "All I did was state a fact. Tell me how that's not being on your side?"

"Because it makes me look bad," she indignantly retorted. "As my husband and king, you aren't allowed to say anything in front of other people that doesn't make me look perfect."

"You know I think you're perfect just the way you are, impatience and all," he reminded her. "How am I supposed to know what I'm _not_ supposed to say?"

"Keith," she groaned in mock exasperation. "You're being impossible." 

"Back to the subject of Her Majesty walking on her own," Keyat spoke up with a smile. "Let me ask you this: how is your balance these days? Are you finding that it's starting to feel off?"

"Most definitely," Allura told her. "Meesla warned me that this was going to start happening as the baby got bigger. She's had me doing stabilization exercises for a while to help me prepare for my changing center of gravity."

"So you understand that your balance issues are only going to become more pronounced the further along you get in your pregnancy?" Keyat wanted to know.

Allura nodded. "Yes. And she explained that I'll probably be sitting and resting more than anything else once I enter the third trimester."

"That's exactly right," Keyat confirmed. "Your joints have been slowly loosening up in preparation for labor and delivery and the more relaxed they become, you're going to find yourself more prone to tripping and falling. The third trimester is when they are at their loosest. All pregnant women go through these balance issues. Unfortunately, because you have not been standing unaided from the beginning, your body hasn't had a chance to naturally adjust to your changing center of gravity. Which is why I'm about to make a recommendation that I know you aren't going to like."

Keith had a feeling he knew what Keyat was going to say.

"And that is?" Allura prompted, clearly having no clue what was coming.

"I know it isn't your favorite thing in the world, but I strongly suggest you continue to use the walker for the remainder of your pregnancy," Keyat told her, confirming Keith's suspicion. "I know your legs are almost at the point that you aren't going to need the extra support, but I'm very concerned about your balance. I've actually spoken about this with Meesla and she agrees with my assessment. As I said, your body hasn't had the chance to get used to standing on its own with the additional weight in the front. Loosing your balance is a very real possibility and if you fall, there's a chance you could injure both yourself and Sophie. I urge you to keep using the walker for safety's sake." 

Keith watched Allura as she took in this information. He knew how much she hated using the walker, but he also knew how important their baby's well-being was to her.

"I agree with Keyat," Doctor Gorma spoke up before Allura could say anything. "Continuing to use the walker will decrease the chances of you falling and seriously injuring yourself and your child. It's an excellent safety measure and I think you'll be grateful for it in the long run." 

Allura looked at Keith.

"I agree with both of them," he told her. "I know you hate it, but it's only for a few more months."

She sighed. "I've been using it for this long, right?" she relented.

Keith smiled and kissed her forehead. "You're doing it for Sophie."

"Sophie," she breathed with a smile. "Our little girl." 

"If there's nothing else, I guess that's about all we have for you today," Doctor Gorma stated. "Your Majesty," he directed at Allura, "I'll see you next week for your next examination."

"I'll be here," she assured him. "Thank you so much. Both of you."

"You're very welcome," Keyat answered for both doctors.

Keith stood up from his seat and took Allura's arm to assist her to her feet.

"So, where are the two of you off to now? Will you be spreading the good news about Sophie?" Keyat asked as she rose from her own chair.

"Oh, yes," Allura beamed as she took hold of her walker. "I don't even know who to tell first!"

"You may want to start with Orla," Keith suggested as they started towards the office door. "You know, since she was the last to know about our marriage and the baby."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Allura agreed. "Auntie first and then Nanny, Coran, and Romelle. I want to tell Larmina too, but I'm not sure she'll really care one way or the other."

"She cares," Keith assured her. "You have to remember that she's only eleven and she has her mind on things that don't involve romance and babies. What about the team? Do you want to tell them at once or one at a time?"

"It doesn't matter," she told him. "Whoever we see first, we'll tell first." She grinned mischievously. "Unless it's Lance. I want him to be the last to know."

"That might be a little difficult to manage, but I suppose we can try," he lightly informed her. "There's no telling where he is at the moment."

"Probably chasing after the nearest female he sees," Keyat suggested as she followed them out into the infirmary hallway. "That man is shameless!"

"Yet you've somehow succeeded in scaring him off," Allura reminded her. "That's a feat in and of itself. What was your secret?"

Keyat grinned. "Confidence," she simply stated. "Pure confidence. It never fails. Most men want to feel like they're in charge. A woman who takes charge is too much for them."

"You didn't scare Terin off," Allura pointed out.

"My Terin is a special case," Keyat smiled. "Which reminds me. It's time for me to give him a call."

"We'll see you later," Keith said as he placed a hand on Allura's back. 

"We have some very welcome news to spread."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes:**

I have been having a rough several months since I posted the last section of the story. It is now August 2017. At the end of April, my beloved grandmother unexpectedly passed away two weeks before her 94th birthday. It was a shock to everyone in the family and it has affected every aspect of our lives. I wasn't able to work on this story for quite a while. The eleven pages I'm now posting were only written in the last two months or so.  
The next section I write after this one should be the final part. I am nearing the very end of my outline. I hope to have the story completed by the end of 2017.  
Just a reminder that this story takes place in the "Voltron Force" version of the universe during the time frame of the original "Defender of the Universe" series. As I'm not a big fan of "Legendary Defender," I am not incorporating any elements from the new show.  
Please contact me with any questions or comments.  
Thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

  


Lance walked into the conference room and immediately saw that nearly all of the chairs had been taken, meaning he was one of the last to arrive. (Not that that was unusual...) He quickly spotted an empty seat between Hunk and Sven and moved to sit down. Once he had seated himself and exchanged greetings, he scanned the faces around the table and noticed that the two people who had called the meeting, Keith and Allura, had not yet arrived.

"So, anyone know what this is about?" he asked the gathered group despite having his own suspicions.

Ever since they'd received the good news about Keith being the baby's father the week before (something not one of them had believed possible), the ridiculously happy couple (if Lance had thought they were over the top with their public displays of affection before...) had been telling anybody they came into contact with that they were having a little girl. While they had asked the staff not to spread the news outside of the castle, it was unlikely that word hadn't already made it to the nearest towns.

Which meant it was time for the royal parents-to-be to make a formal announcement.

He studied the group at the table, which, besides the Force, consisted of Nanny, Coran, Orla, and Romelle, and wondered if any of the others shared his suspicions.

Before anyone had a chance to respond to his question, the door slid open and the queen and king entered the room.

Immediately, his eyes were drawn to Allura. Despite having to walk with the hated walker (there wasn't a person in the room who hadn't heard her constant complaints about the mobility aid), she was positively glowing. And while he'd heard that all pregnant women glowed, Allura was lit up like a light bulb. He hadn't seen her this genuinely happy since her wedding day. Finding out that her baby was Keith's had completely changed the way she felt about her pregnancy. (And now that she was excited about it and knew who the father was, he'd started teasing her on all she was missing out on because _he_ wasn't the father. Allura laughed every time while Keith just rolled his eyes.) For the first time since finding out she was going to have a baby, she was enjoying the experience.

And she was proudly displaying her baby bump.

For months, Allura had been trying to hide her growing belly. She'd been wearing loose dresses and baggy jumpsuits. Now she wanted everyone to know that she and her beloved husband were expecting a child. Today, as she had been for the last week, she was wearing what was clearly a maternity dress.

"Thank you all for coming," Keith began as he helped Allura into her seat. "The reason we've gathered you all together today is because Allura and I have decided that it's time for us to officially announce to Arus that we are expecting our first child," he continued as he got her settled and then sat down beside her. "And because we know that this is the news that Lotor and Haggar have been waiting to hear, we need to be prepared for the attention this is going to attract from Doom. While I don't think there's going to be an attack during the announcement, I want us to be ready for anything."

"Lotor's still M.I.A., right?" Lance questioned the group. 

Lotor had left Doom aboard his personal ship shortly after Allura's rescue and there had been no sign of him since. (They had been more than a little surprised when there'd been no reaction from Doom to the wedding announcement, but they had agreed that neither Lotor nor Haggar would consider Allura's marriage a threat to his future plans for her.) From what they could tell, no one except Zarkon and Haggar knew exactly where he was and they were keeping the knowledge to themselves. Not even the Polluxian spies Sven and Romelle had placed in Zarkon's castle could learn anything. 

"Any guesses to how quick he'll pop back up after you guys break the news?"

"He wouldn't have gone too far," Hunk commented. "He thinks your baby is his."

Lance saw Allura pale at Hunk's words and Keith put his arm around her.

"All we can be certain of is that Zarkon and Haggar have to be responsible for his continued absence," Keith stated matter-of-factly. "Otherwise, he would have attacked long before now. Lance and I specifically heard Haggar tell Lotor that in order for "his baby" to be born healthy, Allura had to give birth on Arus. Lotor isn't known for his patience, so he is obviously being kept away. However, I don't really believe any of them are going to wait until after the birth to come after Allura again. Knowing Lotor, he'll want to be there when his presumed heir is born. I want us to have our defense plans solidified before we make the announcement. We need to be able to get Allura to safety the moment we detect any danger."

"What do you mean get me to safety?" Allura interjected. "I'm not going anywhere. My place is here in the castle, in Control, doing what I can to protect my people. I may not be able to physically pilot my Lion right now, but-"

"You can never pilot ever again!" Nanny interrupted. "You are now queen and a mother. It is your duty to stay out of danger!"

"Nanny's right, my love," Keith agreed, and given the lack of instant protest that would normally follow such a statement, Lance wondered if Keith had already broached the subject with Allura. (As much as the team would miss her, being parents changed everything for them. Both of them could no longer risk their lives in battle. One of them had to be there for their daughter in the event that tragedy struck and that someone should be Allura, especially because she was queen. He was sure her official resignation from the Force would be coming soon.) "I'll feel better knowing that you and Sophie are safe. If anything were to happen to either of you..."

"But the next attack is going to be _because_ of me," she countered. "I should be here to help fight back in some way. It's not fair to the rest of you that I should be safe while you stay in danger."

"You and your unborn daughter are the last remaining heirs to the Arusian throne," Coran reminded her, confirming Lance's thoughts. "Both of you are irreplaceable and must be protected at all costs. Keeping the two of you safe is our first priority."

"But-" Allura tried to protest.

"I know you feel that you would be running away from your duty," Orla gently cut her off, "but staying out of harm's way _is_ your duty. Especially now that you carry the next queen. You cannot allow yourself to be recaptured by Doom. Both your safety and the safety of your daughter depend on it."

"Why not make it impossible for Allura to be taken at all?" Romelle spoke up.

Everyone looked at her.

"Explain," Keith invited.

"Allura could switch places with me," Romelle elaborated. "Allura and I are nearly identical. People who don't know us have a lot of difficulty telling us apart. Allura could disguise herself as me and go to Pollux until after Sophie is born. I would stay here and play 'Allura' with no one the wiser. Doom would never expect a move like that. They'd see me here and believe that I was Allura. She'd be completely safe." 

"Romelle, no!" Allura protested. "I can't let you do that! You'd be placing yourself in too much danger. You've been through so much already. If Lotor somehow were to take you thinking you were me... I won't allow it."

"I'd gladly sacrifice myself if it meant protecting you and Sophie," Romelle waved her off. "I survived being Lotor's prisoner once. There's no reason why I can't do it again."

"I agree with Allura," Sven spoke up. "You can't risk yourself that way, love. Lotor already threw you into the Pit of Skulls once. He might do something much worse to you this time, especially since you're keeping him from Allura."

"All of you are forgetting one teeny little thing," Lance jumped into the conversation. "Allura's very, very pregnant and Romelle... well, Romelle's not. So unless you think you can fool Haggar with a well-placed pillow under your dress, this plan of yours isn't going to fly."

Romelle's face fell as she realized that he was right.

"What about the caves?" Pidge suggested. "Allura could move into them at the first sign of trouble. There are several tunnels leading straight to them from within the castle. We'd be able to stay in touch with her the entire time and let her know when it was safe to come back into the castle." 

A surprised and pleased expression came onto Allura's face.

"Yes, the caves! Pidge, what a wonderful idea!" 

"The caves could work very well," Coran spoke up. "Doom would never think to look there for her. In all the long years of war, they have never bothered to enter them."

"And since they circle beneath all of the kingdoms, Allura could easily be moved anywhere if necessary," Orla added. "Doom would never find her."

"Allura, if you find this solution to your safety agreeable, we can put this issue to rest," Keith said, looking at his wife.

"I have no problem with going into the caves," she told him. "As long as I can keep in touch with Control and know what's happening, I'll be fine."

"Good," he said. "Now we need to focus on the announcement itself." He turned to Coran. "How long do you need to send out the summons for the announcement? A week like we took with the marriage announcement?"

Coran nodded. "We need to give those who want to attend in person the time to travel to Altair. I can have the notification ready to be sent out by tomorrow afternoon. I will set the date for the announcement for exactly a week later."

"That's perfect, Coran," Allura said. "Thank you."

"A week will give us plenty of time to put new security protocols in place," Sven determined. "Keith, I think we should supplement the number of guards with several of my teams on Pollux. Most of them have spent time on Doom and are highly skilled at infiltration. And I trust every single one of them with my life."

"Excellent," Keith said. "How soon can you get them here?"

"We can have them here as early as tomorrow," Romelle assured him. "I can speak to Bandor as soon as we're finished here."

"That's great," Keith told her. "Thank you."

"Hunk and I can work to increase the automated security functions as well," Pidge added. "There's lot of places that we can install cameras that don't have them right now." He turned to Hunk. "And we'll add motion detectors to all of them."

"Sounds good, Little Buddy," Hunk agreed. "And they should send an alert out to us whenever they're activated."

"I'll connect them directly to our Voltcoms," Pidge continued. "That way we'll know the moment someone passes by a camera and we'll be able to immediately check it out."

"We should have them outside as well," Lance added. "We don't want anyone getting anywhere near the castle without us knowing it."

"I think that covers everything for now," Keith decided. "Lance, I need to speak with you. The rest of you are dismissed."

There was a chorus of "yes, sir!" from Pidge, Sven, and Hunk and then everyone started getting up from the table.

Lance waited a few extra seconds before pushing his own seat back and rising to his feet.

He waited as Keith quietly spoke to Allura before helping her from her chair and bringing her walker to her. 

They hugged and kissed and as soon as Allura left with Orla and Nanny, Lance came over.

"So, to what do I owe this honor of being held after class?" he greeted him.

"You and I are going to go over every single security protocol currently in place so we can determine what changes need to be made," Keith told him. "I'm not taking any chances with Allura's safety. 

"Not after..."

Keith didn't have to elaborate.

"No one's taking her anywhere ever again," Lance assured him. "Haggar only succeeded last time because she caught all of us off-guard by being sneaky. Nobody here is falling for that kind of trick again. Anyone wants Allura going anywhere with them is going to be treated like a criminal until proven otherwise."

Keith sighed. "Allura's going to hate it, but she has to understand that not everyone is as innocent as they seem to be. Even our own people."

Lance couldn't help but smile slightly at Keith's use of "our own people." He had fully accepted his Arusian heritage and embraced his role as king without a second thought.

"She'll get over it once she realizes it protects both her and Sophie," he said. "You know that as soon as that little girl of yours is born, she's going to become more overprotective than all of us in the castle combined. Mark my words."

Keith smiled. "Oh, I don't doubt it. She's already showing signs. If you only knew how long it took her to pick out a crib that she thought looked safe and comfortable enough. Even Nanny was getting frustrated with her."

"Ironic when you think that it wasn't all that long ago that she was terrified of this whole baby thing," he pointed out.

"I'm just relieved to see her so happy," Keith said. "For a while, it seemed like she'd never be again. It was hard seeing her that way."

"Let's go have some fun ripping all of your security protocols apart," Lance stated, changing the subject. There was no need to dwell on Allura's past fears. She was happy now and that was all that mattered. "I can't wait to point out all of the holes you left."

"I know you can't," Keith told him with a grin. "Why do you think I chose you for this task?"

"I think it's best not to answer that," Lance let him know as they started heading out of the conference room.

"Probably not," Keith agreed. "Your thoughts have been known to be highly disturbing.

"Come on. Let's get started."

((()))

"No, wait, I don't like the way that sounded," Allura commented as she looked up from the rough draft of the speech she was composing. She, Romelle, Orla, and Larmina were enjoying a quiet afternoon together in the rec room and she was stretched out with her feet up on the couch. Her back was aching and the reclined position gave her some relief. "What do you all think? Should I say, 'Sophia Isabella, your new princess' or 'your new princess, Sophia Isabella'?"

"I don't think anyone is really going to care, Aunt Allura," Larmina told her, not bothering to glance up from the tablet she was reading. "It's not like you're being graded on your grammar or anything."

Allura smiled at her niece although the girl couldn't see her. Larmina had no idea how much Allura, Coran, and Nanny had sheltered her over the years from public opinion. "You'd be surprised by the things our people decide to criticize. But you're probably right about this. The only thing the people are going to care about is that Keith and I are having a baby."

"The Arusian people have been waiting a very long time for a new member of the royal family," Orla pointed out. "This announcement is going to lead to planetwide celebrating. The grammar in your speech is going to be the furthest thing from anyone's mind." 

"How long to do you think it will be before gifts and cards start arriving here in droves?" Romelle wanted to know. "It was what, a couple of hours after the marriage announcement?"

Allura smiled again. "It took me weeks to finish all of the thank yous! This time I'm getting help fr-"

She gasped as a sensation she had never felt before caught her by surprise.

"Allura? Are you all right?" Romelle asked her as she changed into a sitting position and pressed a hand against the spot on her belly where the feeling had come from.

"As far as I can tell," she answered, wondering what she was experiencing. She had literally been examined by Keyat less than two days ago and everything was perfectly fine. She was right where she was supposed to be in her pregnancy. Sophie was a very active and healthy baby. "Nothing is hurting, but-"

The feeling repeated itself but in a different spot on her belly.

_What in the...?_

"Tell us what's going on," Orla urged as she and Romelle came to sit on either side of her. "Do I need to call Doctor Gorma or Keyat?"

"No, no, that's not necessary," Allura waved her off. "Something's going on with Sophie, but there's no pain, so I think everything is okay."

"Can you describe what you're feeling?" Romelle asked.

"Um," Allura began, trying to think of how to put the sensation into words. "I guess the best way to describe it is pushing. Very gentle pushing from the inside. Does that make any sense?"

"Ah," Orla said, a huge smile forming on her face. "Of course. I know exactly what this is. You, my darling, are feeling Sophie kick for the very first time."

Excitement filled her as she realized that Auntie was exactly right. Both Doctor Gorma and Keyat had told her that she would start feeling Sophie's movements between weeks sixteen and twenty and she was currently towards the end of the eighteenth week. Of course, she hadn't known exactly what to expect, which is why she had been taken completely by surprise. 

"By the gods!" she happily exclaimed as she placed her other hand on her belly too. "I'm finally feeling her! I mean, I know she's been moving from almost the beginning, but to feel her myself! Oh, wow! This is...this is so amazing! I have to tell Keith! Our little Sophie is kicking me!"

"Um, what's so exciting about that?" Larmina wanted to know. "Your baby is beating you up from the inside. How is that a good thing?"

All three adults couldn't help but laugh. 

"You'll understand when you're older," Orla assured her.

"Ugh! I hate it when grown-ups say that!" the girl groaned. "Why doesn't anybody think I can understand anything now?"

"Because you're only eleven years old, that's why," Romelle pointed out. "Things that make sense to adults won't make sense to you. It all has to do with life experience."

"Well, having a baby is one experience I hope never to have," Larmina declared. "Ninja warriors don't have time for babies!"

"And just where do you think new ninja warriors come from?" Orla wanted to know, clearly holding back another laugh. "Out of thin air?"

Larmina just shrugged. "I never thought about it. I guess I could ask Pidge. I mean, he _does_ come from a whole planet of ninja scientists!"

Allura tried to keep from laughing herself as she imagined just such a conversation taking place between her niece and the Green Lion pilot, who was only fifteen himself. She couldn't decide who'd be redder!

Sophie choose that moment to kick again.

"I think it's time to share the good news with Daddy," she commented as she raised her Voltcom to her lips.

"Keith, you'll never guess what just happened..."

((())) 

Keith felt Allura tighten her hold on his arm as she reached the final segment of her speech announcing the impending arrival of their daughter.

He knew that it meant her legs were starting to give out on her.

Against all advice, Allura had decided to go out on the balcony without her walker. (She had become convinced that the people would focus on her "lack" of recovery instead of on Sophie if she appeared with her walker. No one had been able to get her to understand how ridiculous she was being. Keith had nearly gotten into an argument with her over it, but had backed down almost immediately. His wife was hard-headed and stubborn and when she made her mind up about something, there was no talking to her about it.) Doctor Gorma, Meesla, and Keyat had all reminded her that while her legs were fully healed, she had not stood unaided for months and her muscles weren't used to supporting her full weight. But Allura had waved them off, insisting that she had to appear completely healed before her people in order to make this day only about Sophie.

Now she was experiencing the consequences as her leg muscles rapidly exhausted.

"We intend for Princess Sophia to grow up knowing her people," Allura continued, her voice giving no indication of the discomfort she was experiencing. "We want her to understand that she is a part of a planetwide community and that all Arusians go out of their way to support one another. It does not matter which kingdom you live in. We are one people, one world."

The crowd started to cheer at her last words.

"I regret every day that I was unable to walk among you for so long because of the war with Doom," she went on. "I refuse for Sophie to have to go through the same thing. Because of Voltron's protection, Keith and I vow that Sophie will not spend her life hidden in the castle. She will be among you as often as she can. It is our promise that your princess will be a large part of the lives of the people she will one day rule as queen." 

The audience exploded with even louder cheers and applause.

"Thank you," she concluded above the noise. "We love you all!"

Allura then waved at the crowd and Keith did the same.

"Ready to go in?" he asked in a very low voice while continuing to wave.

"I'd ask you to carry me, but that would defeat the purpose of not using my walker," she quietly answered, also still waving. "Thank you, my people! Thank you!" she directed at the crowd. To Keith, she added, "I may have, um, I may have overdone things. My legs are really hurting me." 

Keith knew he didn't need to comment. The fact that she had admitted her mistake was enough. It was now over and done with. He now needed to focus on getting her back into the castle and off of her feet.

As the people below continued to cheer and applaud, Keith put an arm around her waist and shifted most of her weight against his body. He then turned the two of them away from the front of the balcony and guided her back into the castle. 

A chair and footrest had been placed just inside of the entryway and Allura gratefully collapsed into the seat.

"Ahh," she sighed with relief as Keith knelt down and lifted her feet onto the footrest.

"Feeling better, my love?" he asked her as Coran, Orla, Nanny, Romelle, Sven, and the rest of the Force, who had been standing with them during the speech, gathered around the chair.

"I don't want to move for the rest of the day," she declared. "I'm tired and my legs hurt and, on top of everything else, Sophie is pummeling me again. I need a break!"

"A break from what?" Lance wanted to know. "All you did was stand around and talk! Come talk to me when you've actually done something!"

"How dare you speak to Her Majesty so rudely!" Nanny berated him, completely oblivious to the fact that he wasn't being serious. "You will apologize to her this instant!"

"Allura knows that I was just joking," Lance defended himself. "Don't you, Allura?"

"I don't know," Allura teasingly shot back. "What will it get me if I say I do?"

"Well..." he started to say.

"Don't you dare finish that thought!" Romelle jumped in. "Her husband is right here."

"You better not be about to proposition my wife," Keith mock-threatened, getting to his feet. "Especially not in front of all these witnesses."

"Why? Afraid she'll realize she married the wrong guy and run away with me?" Lance retorted.

"In your dreams!" Allura informed him, taking Keith's hand. "Keith is the only man I'll ever love."

"Who ever said anything about love?" Lance shot back.

"Oh, brother!" Pidge groaned. 

"Okay, okay, enough of this," Coran broke in. "Her Majesty really does need her rest. Doctor's orders."

"Party pooper," Lance grumbled loud enough for everyone to hear, which elicited quiet laughter from everyone except Nanny and Coran.

"Allura, the speech you gave was wonderful," Coran informed her, ignoring Lance. "You have a way of reaching the people that I have not seen since your father was still alive. Both of your parents would have been very proud of you today." 

"Oh, if only they could have lived to see this day!" Nanny exclaimed. "Their little girl all grown up and expecting a daughter of her own! They would have both been so happy!"

Keith and Allura smiled at each other. They'd been to see King Alfor's spirit only yesterday and he'd told Allura himself how proud and happy he was. 

"I can just hear my sister now complaining about becoming a grandmother at such a young age," Orla put in with a bittersweet smile. "And Alfor would have reminded her that Allura could have married and had children even earlier. I miss both of them so much. I'm so glad I still have you, my darling."

"I love you so much, Auntie," Allura said, taking her hand. "I'm glad Sophie will get to know you, too."

"We'll let you rest now," Coran stated firmly. He turned to Keith. "We will see Your Majesties later."

"Thank you, Coran," Keith said, turning his attention to Allura.

"All right, everyone," Coran spoke up. "Let us give our king and queen some privacy."

"Shouldn't they go to their room if they're going to do that?" Lance suggested.

"Have you no shame?!" Nanny practically screeched. "I should wash that filthy mouth of yours out with soap!"

"It wouldn't help," Sven informed her matter-of-factly. "If the academy couldn't clean up his act, no one can."

"And many have tried!" Lance proudly pointed out as the group left the room and the door slid shut behind them.

Keith shook his head. "It still amazes me that the Garrison never kicked him out. You never know what's going to come out of his mouth. He still shocks _me_ sometimes and I'm his best friend."

"I would have thought if there would have been any reason to kick him out it would have been his need to chase after every woman he meets," Allura told him. "Has he ever met a woman he wasn't interested in?"

"Yes, any woman with a rank high enough to have him thrown out of the space explorers," Keith informed her. "Believe me, he had a few close calls. He's never been shy about telling a woman he finds her highly attractive before he knows anything else about her."

"I don't know about that," Allura said with a teasing smile. "He's still after me, you know."

"Unfortunately, I do," Keith mock-sighed. "Should I be worried?" 

"Well, he _is_ quite the good kisser," she said, her smile getting bigger.

"Is that so?" he quipped, sitting down beside her on the chair. "Do I need to demonstrate to you my skills in that area?"

"Oh, please do, my beloved husband," she invited as he moved his face closer to hers. "And I will need several samples to really compare you to your competition."

He then kissed her deeply and passionately.

When they separated, he said, "I love you, my queen."

"I love you too."

And then he kissed her again.

((())) 

"So, old witch, it appears that you've failed yet again," Zarkon declared after Haggar had finished reporting to him what she had learned on her most recent visit to Arus. They were meeting in the privacy of his personal chambers to ensure that no one could eavesdrop on their conversation. "Not only is the girl married to the commander of the Voltron Force, but she's not even pregnant with Lotor's spawn! I'm eager to hear how you're going to clean up your mess."

He could see the hag's mind quickly trying to come up with a solution for the disaster she'd created with her bungling. Instead of his idiot son just going after Allura again and again as usual, he'd now obsessively focus on trying to kill the Voltron commander first so that she'd no longer be married to him. And since he'd never been able to best the puny human in combat, Lotor would once again be caught in yet another endless cycle of failure, making him even more useless than he already was! It was an even _worse_ situation than it was before Haggar had tried to fix it! (He shouldn't have been surprised. The majority of Haggar's schemes ended in spectacular failure. Why should this one have been any different?)

He once again wondered how he'd been cursed with such a pathetic excuse for a son. (It was a shame he'd never bothered to learn more about the woman who'd given birth to him. Perhaps it was _her_ fault her child was such a nitwit!) While Lotor was suitably evil, his ineptitude at just about everything else made Zarkon fear for the future of his empire. Lotor lacked both intelligence and cunning. He had a feeling that the imbecile would destroy everything he had worked so hard to achieve in a matter of days. (Unless something changed, he hoped and prayed to every evil god there was that he'd outlive the fool!) 

"As long as Lotor does not know of either her marriage or her child, he should remain compliant," Haggar finally said, stroking her ever-present blue cat. (Did she ever leave that thing behind?) "The belief that you will perform the marriage when you deem him worthy will keep him in line."

Zarkon was unable to hold back the burst of laughter.

"You seem to have forgotten your own scheme, old witch!" he bellowed. " _You_ made me tell Lotor that I would marry him and the girl as soon as he successfully completed the mission I sent him on! And from all reports I've received, he's exceeding all expectations! I'll say this about my son: he may be an idiot, but he's very skilled at using violence to get results. Of that, at least, I can be proud! So now he'll be expecting me to keep my side of the bargain _you_ made me agree to, which, of course, I can't do now! What reason am I supposed to give him, old witch? That I just changed my mind?"

"That would be unwise, Sire," Haggar let him know. "That would only anger him and we would lose what little control we have over him. We will need to come up with a reason that would keep him from defying you and accept the need to delay the marriage."

"And do you have any ideas what this reason would be?" Zarkon pressed, curious to see what she could come up with on the spot. "Please, enlighten me."

He watched as she again struggled to think of a solution.

"I... I will need time to think on the problem," she at last spoke, proving she didn't have a single idea. "I will consult with the dark spirits and see what they tell me." 

"Yes, you go do that," Zarkon told her, deciding that it was pointless to continue the conversation now. Without a plan to put into place, they could do nothing other than wait for Lotor's return. (And the temper tantrum that would follow once he learned the truth about Allura...) "Use that crystal ball of yours to figure out how to make this disaster go away. Now leave me."

He saw the quick look of annoyance at being so casually dismissed flit across her face. He knew the witch considered herself his equal when it came to ruling the empire. (She may claim to be content as his subordinate, but Zarkon had known her for too many years. She craved power the same as he did. She'd steal his empire out from under him if given half the chance. That was why he allowed her to enact scheme after scheme. It gave her the illusion of having power over him. As long as she thought she could influence his decisions, she wouldn't try to take his throne.) But it never hurt to remind her of her place.

"At once, Sire," Haggar bowed, placing her cat down by her feet. "Come, pussy cat. We have work to do."

The cat made its grating vocalization as if agreeing with its mistress.

And then the witch left his chambers, the cat trotting alongside her.

Once she was gone, Zarkon put the whole matter of his pathetic son and his ridiculous obsession with the Arusian girl out of his mind. Lotor wasn't due back for several months. There was more than enough time to find a solution to the Allura issue before his return.

For now, he had an empire to run.


	6. Chapter 6

 

**Author's Notes:**

At long last, here is the conclusion of "Aftermath." It has been a very long road to get here! According to the MS Works file, I started working on the story in June 2014. It's taken me, with several breaks from writing, until the end of November 2017 to finish it. I am more amazed than you can imagine to have reached the end!  
Just a reminder that this story takes place in the "Voltron Force" version of the universe during the time frame of the original "Defender of the Universe" series. As I'm not a big fan of "Legendary Defender," I am not incorporating any elements from the new show.  
Please contact me with any questions or comments.  
Thank you and I hope you enjoy the finale of the story.

  


"So, my love," Keith teasingly began as he helped Allura reposition herself on the bed so that she was lying on her side, "what was it you were saying about not being beautiful or desirable anymore?"

"I honestly can't remember," Allura said with a smile as he moved to lay beside her.

"Good," he declared before leaning in to kiss her.

What had started as a terrible day had completely turned around the moment Keith had found her crying in their quarters.

Allura had woken up that morning feeling tired and achy thanks to a night of very little sleep. (Sophie had been moving almost non-stop the entire night. She was an extremely active baby and now that Allura was in her third trimester, Sophie was big enough for her movements to be constantly noticeable. Of course, Keyat had informed her that what she was experiencing now was nothing. Sophie was currently only about fifteen inches long and weighed slightly over two pounds. Once she began her final growth spurt, Allura would be able to feel every single twist and turn Sophie made.) Keith had already left for Lion Practice hours ago (in order to fit in his new duties as king, he had pushed practice back to the original time of 0600 instead of the 0900 that it had been since Allura had joined the Force) and she had found herself feeling lonely and depressed despite knowing where he was. Despite not having much of an appetite but knowing that she had to eat _something_ for Sophie's sake, she had forced herself to get dressed and had gone to the dining room, where Nanny had complained incessantly about how she was picking at her food. After she had finished the small amount she had been able to force down (enough to placate Nanny), she had gone to her office to begin processing her daily paperwork.

It was after she had sat down at her desk that her mood had taken a turn for the worse. Sophie had once again gone into what felt like an acrobatic routine and she had found herself concentrating more on trying to get into a more comfortable position than on her work. But no matter what she did in her chair, she had been unable to get any relief. After ten frustrating minutes of trying, she had finally given up and decided to go lay in bed to wait out Sophie. (Lying down on her side always helped alleviate the discomfort.)

After arriving at her and Keith's quarters, she had made a straight line for the bed. However, as she had passed the same full-length mirror she had passed every day of her life, she had for some strange reason found herself drawn to her reflection. A reflection that completely caught her off-guard.

Her face was _fat._

She knew she had been gaining weight from the pregnancy. Doctor Gorma and Keyat had told her that her weight was tracking normally for her baby's development. But she had never really paid attention to what that meant before. Now, for the first time, she saw where some of that extra weight had been going and it was on her face.

When had this happened and why had no one said anything to her? She couldn't believe she was first noticing this now! Her normally narrow features were completely round! It was a shocking sight. 

And if her face had gotten big, it stood to reason that the rest of her had as well. She knew about her belly and her breasts ( _those_ she had noticed right away), but where else had she become distorted?

Pushing the walker out of the way of the mirror, she had begun to examine her full reflection. To her dismay, she was larger _everywhere._ Her arms, her thighs, even her buttocks. She was _huge!_ How could Keith stand kissing and hugging her? She was as big as a Robeast!

Her already poor mood worsened as her mind had flashed to how perfect she had looked on their wedding day. Keith had told her over and over again how beautiful she was and she truly had felt that way. Now she was anything but! It was so awful! She had become a monster! There was no way Keith could be attracted to her like _this!_ She couldn't even begin to imagine how hard it was for him to even share the same bed with her! And being intimate...

Her mind had spun with the implications of Keith's disgust with her. Did he even still love her looking the way she now did? And if he didn't, how long would it be before he wanted to leave her? Before he wanted to end their marriage... 

She had begun to sob at this last thought.

And that had been when Keith had come to check on her.

It had not taken him very long to make her realize that she had absolutely nothing to worry about...

"I actually feel completely ridiculous about the whole thing now," Allura confessed when they separated from the kiss. "I'm not normally a vain person. But for some reason, from the moment I saw my reflection, I couldn't stop thinking how horrible I look and how that would change the way you feel about me. It was so stupid."

"Anything that would upset you so much is not stupid," he informed her. "It doesn't matter that this was caused by your hormones acting up. It felt very real to you and I'm never going to dismiss anything that's making you distressed, real or imagined."

"Only three more months of this, right?" she sighed. "I love Sophie very much, but I can't wait for her to born. She is wreaking havoc in there!"

As if on cue, Sophie began to kick.

"And there she goes again," Allura groaned. "She doesn't want to give Mommy a rest!"

Keith chuckled, placing his hand against her belly to feel Sophie's movements. It had only been recently that he'd begun to be able to feel her kicks himself. "If she's this bad now, I can't imagine what she's going to be like as a teenager."

"I don't even want to think about that yet!" Allura declared. "Let me just get through the pregnancy first! One thing at a time!"

"Okay, how about we discuss the important event that's coming up next week instead?" Keith changed the subject. "You still haven't told me what you want."

"That's because you've already given me everything I've ever wanted," she informed him. "You told me you love me, we got married, and we're having a baby. There's nothing left!"

"So there's absolutely nothing I can give you for your birthday?" he pressed. "Not even a piece of jewelry?"

"Keith, you gave me a necklace on your birthday!" she reminded him. "On _your_ own birthday, for goddess' sake!"

His birthday had taken place back during her first trimester, when she had still been experiencing intense morning sickness and was still hoverchair-bound. She had been feeling particularly poorly that day and she had felt guilty that she couldn't help him celebrate. While she had been resting in bed during the birthday dinner, Keith had come to her and presented her with a beautiful piece of jewelry. She had been both surprised and touched by the gesture. 

"You are the greatest gift I have ever gotten, so I wanted to show you how much I appreciate you," he explained. "What was wrong with that?"

"Nothing," she assured him. "It was just unusual, that's all. Your birthday is supposed to be your day. Instead you thought of me."

"I'm always thinking of you, my love," he told her, giving her another kiss. "Which is why I want to give you something on your birthday. Especially since this is your first birthday during our marriage."

"Honestly, the fact that you want to get me something is more than enough," she let him know. "I'll be fine without any gifts. Really."

"Do Nanny and Coran know that?" he teasingly asked.

From the time she was very young, even during the years they were living in the caves, Nanny and Coran had gone out of their ways to get her a special birthday gift. When she was younger, the gift had been things like dolls and dresses. As she'd gotten older, she'd also received books and jewelry. None of it had been very elaborate, since such luxuries had been scarce during the height of the war, but she had treasured each and every one since she'd known how hard they'd worked to find something for her day. 

"Nanny and Coran I can't reason with," she shot back. "You, I can. Or at least, I hope I can."

"Not about this," he asserted. "It's very important that you let me get you something. Please, my queen." 

"Fine!" she surrendered, knowing that he wasn't going to back down. "You win, Your Majesty! You can buy me a birthday present."

"You won't regret it," he assured her, giving her another kiss. "And I promise you that you're going to love it."

"I better," Allura replied, "or I'll never let you get me another gift ever again."

"Is that a threat, my love?" Keith teasingly questioned.

"Oh, most definitely," she answered. "As you said, this is the first gift you are getting me as my husband. That means that this gift is going to be the standard I hold every other gift you give me up to from now on. If this gift falls short of your promise... Well, I think you have the idea."

"Let me guess. There will be consequences."

"Consequences worse than you can even imagine," she informed him, trying very hard not to laugh. "You'll-"

A particularly strong kick from Sophie cut her off.

"Stop trying to kill Mommy!" she directed to her belly. Sophie only kicked some more. To Keith, she added, "I hope she'll be a better listener when she gets older."

"Only if she takes after me," he told her. "If she takes after you, not a chance."

"Are you saying I never listen?"

"Do I really need to answer that?"

"Maybe it's better if you don't," she conceded. "I admit I don't have the greatest record of following orders."

"Your Lion thieving being the prime examples."

"Hey, if I hadn't taken Blue out on my own you'd never have given me a chance to fly," she pointed out. "Who knows who you could have ended up with as your fifth pilot."

"Exactly. I could have married that Blue Lion pilot instead."

She glared at him in mock-exasperation. "Are you saying you only married me because I flew the Blue Lion? What if Sven had never been forced to leave the team?"

"Well, that would have been pretty awkward because he'd definitely not my type," he deadpanned.

"Keith!" she cried, smacking his arm. 

He responded by pulling her into his arms. "I love you so very much, my queen. You know there's no one else I would have ever married."

"Well, actually now I don't," she teased, pushing away so she could look into his face again. "You've made me doubt everything I've ever believed about our relationship. I'm going to need to you prove to me how much you love me."

"Not a problem," he smiled. "All I have to do is..."

He kissed her again and proceeded to prove it to her in exactly the way she had hoped. 

((())) 

"Take us into space," Lotor commanded the robotic pilots as he collapsed heavily into his chair on his ship's bridge.

This latest mission for his father had left him both disappointed and exhausted. Disappointed because he hadn't had to kill anyone. Planet Orivese was home to probably the most unintelligent people had had ever encountered. (And he had met a lot of stupid people in his life!) They literally hadn't understood why Zarkon was so upset with them. Explaining the situation to them had been the exhausting part. It had taken them _hours_ to grasp the concept of what they had done wrong. (The idiots hadn't done any of it on purpose. Every item on Father's list of violations had been accidents! The extent of their stupidity was mind numbing.) He hoped the next planet would be more satisfactory.

"Yes, sir," the lead robot replied.

While the ship began lifting off, he accessed the planet list on the computer terminal attached to the command chair. Once it had displayed, he scrolled down until he found Orivese, which he happily marked off as visited. (If he never came back here, it would be too soon!) He then began looking for the name of the next planet.

And discovered that there wasn't one.

It took him a moment to realize what this meant.

He was finished.

He had completed the task Father had set before him.

As soon as he returned home, Allura would be _his._

A genuine smile spread across his face.

"Set a course for Planet Doom," he ordered, barely keeping his elation out of his voice. 

"Yes, sir," the same robot acknowledged.

Finally, all of his dreams would start coming true! He'd marry his queen, crush Voltron once and for all, and then, last but certainly not least, dispose of his father. A glorious new age of power and conquest would come to be under his rule. He would be a better king than his father ever was.

However, his focus for now had to be on reclaiming Allura. If she was in fact pregnant, which he very much hoped she was, she would be near full-term now. That meant he would have to move quickly to remove her from Arus. If he waited until after the baby was born, he ran the risk of not being able to grab both of them at once and that would be disastrous. The baby would be key in ensuring Allura's good behavior.

Of course, he was very well aware of the fact that Haggar could have been wrong and there could be no baby at all. But that would change nothing but the speed in which he had to recapture his queen. 

He needed to have all of the facts before he arrived home. Haggar certainly wasn't keeping him informed. (He wondered how much longer she would remain his "ally." He'd known from the beginning it was only a matter of time before she would betray him. He'd be foolish to believe otherwise. The old witch had no loyalty but to herself and her own power. The question was would she turn on him before he'd had the chance to kill his father or would she wait until after he had secured the throne for himself?) He'd have to reach out to his own private network of allies and spies to learn what had transpired in his absence, especially on Arus. 

But all of that could wait until later. (After all, he was still weeks away from Doom.) He was very tired from his dealings with the pathetic Orivesians and needed to rest. A nice, relaxing session with one or two of his slave girls was exactly what he needed. (Actually, what he needed was his Allura since no other woman could satisfy him the way she could, but she was not yet back where she belonged, so he would have to make due with these poor substitutes.) He'd be able to better focus on the task at hand after he had rested.

He got up from his chair and exited the bridge, his mind sorting through the slave girls to pick who he wanted for this session.

As long as it wasn't one of the criers. Having to listen to crying the entire time he was with the girl would spoil his good mood, which was the last thing he wanted. A spoiled good mood would lead to having to punish the girl which would mean he was denied any pleasure which would only further worsen his mood.

No, he definitely did not want one of the criers.

After all, this was all about celebrating his upcoming wedding.

((())) 

"Hey, Keith."

Keith looked up from the document he was reading to see both Sven and Lance standing in his office doorway.

They both had serious expressions on their faces, which told him that there could only be one reason they were coming to see him.

Lotor.

"Tell me."

"Lotor's ship was finally spotted yesterday evening," Sven informed him as they entered his office. "He's about five systems away from Doom. Based on current speed and trajectory, he should reach Doom either tomorrow or the next day."

Keith's mind immediately jumped to the preparations that would need to be made before Lotor tried anything.

First and foremost, Allura would need to be moved to the caves. Thankfully, he knew she would eventually go without too much of an argument. (He had no doubt she'd try to stay in the castle as long as she could.) Now that she was in the final month of her pregnancy, Sophie had become her top priority. She wouldn't do anything that might put her at risk.

"Any information on where he's been or what he's been up to?" he asked as they sat down in the chairs in front of his desk.

"No, but there's no question he's been out of touch," Sven answered. "My men have intercepted multiple communications from his ship to Doom ally worlds where he's been asking about the state of things.

"Especially here on Arus."

Keith nodded at the unspoken confirmation of Lotor's knowledge of the marriage and the pregnancy. It had never been a question of him finding out as neither were a secret. (Keith was honestly surprised it had taken him so long.) The concern was what he was going to do with the information. After all, he believed he had fathered Allura's baby.

"So how long after he gets home do you think it will be before he comes after Allura again?" Lance wanted to know.

"I'm guessing it won't be more than a day or two," Keith told him. "He's going to want to bring her back to Doom before the baby is born and he has to know that she's extremely close to her due date. He knows he has to act fast and we know that waiting isn't his strong suit. Accounting for the least time it can take him to gather his forces and, most likely, get a Robeast from Haggar, I'm expecting him to be here within a day of his arrival."

"So that gives us at least two days to get ready," Sven determined. "What do we need to do?"

"Honestly, there's nothing to do but wait," Keith replied. "The extra security measures we implemented around the time of the birth announcement are still in place. In that sense, at least, we're as ready as we can be."

"So that just leaves getting Allura to go down into the caves," Lance put in. "And we all know how she feels about that."

Keith sighed at the reminder of his wife's stubbornness. "If it were up to her, she literally wouldn't go down until the intruder alarms go off. Personally, I want her down there now. I'd feel much better knowing she and Sophie were completely safe."

"If you want to force the issue, Sophie's the way to go," Lance pointed out. "When it comes to Sophie's well-being, Allura will do almost anything."

"I can try, but I'm not sure even that will work," Keith said. "She knows that there's no immediate danger. She'll want to know why she has to go down before an attack."

"Too bad 'because I say so' won't work with her either," Lance quipped.

"I think the key will be to remind her that she isn't going into the caves alone," Sven spoke up, ignoring Lance's attempt at humor. "Romelle, Orla, Larmina, and Nanny will all be accompanying her. I know for a fact that neither Nanny nor Orla are going to want to be in the castle when the attack comes. And, more importantly, neither of them are going to want her here either. One thing working in our favor is that Allura always tries to appease everyone. If we emphasize how important it is for her to go early for _their_ sakes..."

"Sven, I believe you've found the solution we were looking for," Keith praised him. "But I don't think I should be the one who presents the idea to her. She knows I'll say or do almost anything to get her down into the caves earlier than she wants and she'll try to fight me. Can you have Romelle talk to her about this?" 

"Of course," Sven let him know. "I can go ask her after we're finished here."

"Perfect," Keith acknowledged. "Lance, while Sven is with Romelle, I want you to go update Pidge and Hunk on Lotor's status. Sven, you can join them after you've spoken with Romelle. I'm going to go let Coran and Orla know about what's going on. Then I'll go give Allura the news."

Although they had known this day was coming from the beginning, he hated that he had to tell her that it was finally here. Allura had been so happy and excited about Sophie's impending arrival. Lotor's return would bring back the terror it had taken her so long to recover from.

"Good luck," Lance said and Keith knew he meant it. There was no question Allura was not going to take it well and it would take time to calm her down. "Take as long as you need."

"When should I send Romelle to her?" Sven asked.

"I'll comm you," Keith told him. "Allura's going to need her after I finish telling her about Lotor. I'd then like us to all meet later this afternoon around 1530 to go over everything."

"Sounds like a plan," Lance declared, standing up. "I'll go find Pidge and Hunk. I'm sure they're in the hangar working on something."

Keith and Sven both got up as well.

"We all have our assignments," Keith said. 

"Let's get to work."

((())) 

With Coba trotting after her, Haggar followed Zarkon into the communication chamber where Lotor's grinning face was dominating the viewscreen.

There was no question why Lotor was in such a good mood. He believed that he was about to receive his father's permission to marry Allura. 

It was too bad that marrying her was no longer possible.

Haggar had warned Zarkon not to say anything about Allura's marriage to the Voltron commander until Lotor was back on Doom. He could not learn the truth until they had a way of physically preventing him from going to claim his "queen." Otherwise, he would run straight to Arus and get himself into one of his usual messes. (This was the reason why neither she nor Zarkon had contacted him during his mission. He would have asked them about Arus and they'd have had to answer his questions. It had been the only way to ensure that he wouldn't abandon his assigned task.) The longer he was kept in the dark about Allura, the better. 

"Greetings Father, Haggar," Lotor cheerfully addressed them as they came into his view. "You will be pleased to know that you no longer have to worry about any of those subject planets. The offenders have been properly disciplined or removed. You should see immediate improvements."

"Well done, my son," Zarkon praised him. "I knew you could do it. You have made me very proud."

"Thank you, Father," Lotor accepted, his grin growing even wider. "You have no idea how so very glad I am to hear it."

Haggar mentally cringed at what she knew was coming next. Lotor was going to ask his father for permission to marry Allura and Zarkon had to convince him to wait until he returned to Doom before he would give him his answer. (She knew Zarkon was disappointed with her for still not having come up with a believable reason for denying the marriage, but it was proving to be an impossible task. Lotor was obsessed with the Arusian girl. He would not accept "no" for an answer. To him, there would be _no_ reason good enough for him not to marry her. Not even her already having a husband.) She had no doubt that Lotor would fly into a rage over the delay, but Zarkon would not give him a choice. It was the only way to prevent disaster.

"Now, Father, I believe it is time to discuss our arrangement," Lotor continued and Haggar braced herself for the impending tantrum. "I have clearly held up my end of the bargain. Now it is your turn. Do I have your permission to marry Allura?"

"This is not the time or place for such a discussion," Zarkon waved him off. "Come home and we will talk in person." 

Lotor's smile vanished. "I'm not asking for a discussion, Father. All I want is an answer. A simple yes or no is all that I require from you."

"I'm not required to give you anything," Zarkon told him. "You will not get your answer when I'm ready to give it to you and I won't be ready until you are back on Doom. So you are to come home immediately. When should I expect you?" 

Haggar could tell that Lotor was ready to explode. Not only did he hate being told what to do, but he was not getting what he wanted.

But much to her surprise, instead of flying into the expected rage, Lotor took a deep breath and visibly calmed himself down.

"Fine, Father, we will do things your way," he said, not a trace of anger in his voice. "Honestly, it doesn't matter when you give me your permission. Allura _will_ be my queen. It would be easier for you to give it to me now, but you must have your reasons for waiting."

Haggar suddenly got a very bad feeling. This was not like Lotor at all. He _never_ gave in to his father so easily.

He was obviously up to something.

But what could it be?

She assumed it was connected to the early completion of his mission three weeks ago. If it weren't for the fact that she and Zarkon had been tracking his ship since he left Doom (they had wanted to make sure that he wouldn't abandon the mission to go after the girl, which, unsurprisingly, he hadn't. After all, he had believed he would be allowed to marry her after he was done), they would have had no idea he had finished it weeks ahead of their estimation. What had he been doing in all of that time and why hadn't he contacted them until now? What was he planning? 

"As to when you can expect my arrival, I will be coming home as soon as I have acquired my bride."

"What?!" Zarkon bellowed aloud as Haggar silently cried out the same.

_This_ was exactly what they had been trying to avoid! It was the entire reason they'd sent him on this mission! If he were to go to Arus..

"You will do no such thing!" Zarkon demanded. "You are to return home to the castle at once! That is an order!"

Lotor simply laughed out loud. "Why, Father? What are you so worried about? Are you afraid I'll have my feelings hurt when I learn that Allura is already married to Commander Keith?"

Haggar could not prevent the shocked gasp that escaped her lips.

_He knows?! How?_

Sensing her distress, Coba leaped into her arms and she started stroking his fur. His purrs helped her recenter herself. 

Lotor laughed again. "I see that you're surprised I already know the truth, old witch. Since neither you nor Father bothered to communicate with me, I decided to take matters into my own hands. It's quite amazing the things you can learn just by asking the right people. For example, I had no idea that Allura had not made one but _two_ appearances before her people. And not only that, but they were _months_ apart. Imagine that. My future bride announces both her marriage and her pregnancy and neither one of the two people who have promised her to me inform me about them. I honestly don't know what to make of it. Should I be concerned about your loyalty to me?"

Haggar knew that dig was directed solely at her. 

Lotor's three weeks of silence finally made sense. He had been using that time to find out everything that had happened on Arus while he had been preoccupied. He had known they were keeping things from he and he had wanted to find out what they were.

It was their own faults for missing this. They had thought tracking his movements would have been enough. They should have been monitoring his communications as well. 

Now they were too late to stop him from doing the one thing they didn't want him to do.

Haggar realized that she now had no choice but to go to one of her contingency plans to usurp Zarkon's throne. There was no salvaging this one.

Lotor had become a complete dead-end.

_Idiot!_

"Lotor, you are more of an idiot than I thought possible," Zarkon growled, echoing her exact thoughts. "Now do as you're told and return home at once. The girl is lost to you. You need to forget her and move on."

"That 'girl', as you call her, will be my queen," Lotor countered hotly and Haggar wondered if Zarkon even realized the mistake he had just made. Lotor took anything anyone said about Allura that didn't elevate her to divine levels as an insult. "She is the love of my life and if you can't understand that, Father, than I have nothing more to say to you. So I am going to go to Arus, retrieve Allura, and when I return home with her, you are to perform the marriage ceremony immediately. Is that understood?"

"How dare you dictate to me!" Zarkon shot back. "I am your father and king! You are to obey me and not the other way around!"

"I can do whatever I want!" Lotor retorted. "You may be king, but I am the crown prince and that makes me your equal. After all, if that wasn't true how would I have been able to bring those wayward worlds back into line for you, Father?"

Haggar wanted to roll her eyes at his logic. Lotor honestly had no understanding of the empire's power hierarchy. As prince, he was his father's representative. All power he wielded was just an extension of his father's. He had none of his own. The only reason he was able to reestablish control on those worlds is because the people knew he was standing in for Zarkon. If he had gone to any of them on his own, he would not have gotten results so quickly or easily.

"I'm warning you, Lotor," Zarkon said. "If you do not come home right now, I will refuse to perform the marriage."

Lotor laughed yet again. "Do you really think you have a choice, Father? You _will_ marry us. Because if you don't..."

He let the threat hang in the air.

It was Zarkon's turn to laugh. "I'd like to see you try it, boy! I think you'll find that defeating me isn't as easy as you think."

"I accept your challenge, Father," Lotor smirked. "My bride and I will see you very soon."

The screen instantly went blank.

Haggar braced herself for the rage Zarkon was about to hit her with.

"This is all your fault!" Zarkon shouted. "You were the one who came up with this harebrained scheme, old witch, and look how it turned out! At least before I had some control over him! Now, look at him! He has one successful mission and he thinks he can take my throne! The imbecile!"

"I wouldn't be too concerned about him, Sire," she said in a soothing tone. "He will not succeed in taking Allura from Arus this time. Not only does he not have my help, but the Voltron Force is expecting him. He will be defeated as he always is."

"Which means that nothing has changed!" Zarkon retorted. "The whole point of this plan of yours was to give him the girl so he could concentrate on more important matters. Now he'll never have her! This entire scheme has been a waste of time!"

Haggar, unfortunately, had to agree with him. All of the efforts she had put into cultivating Lotor as the key to her rule had been for nothing.

She didn't even have a child fathered by him to use.

After this disaster blew over, she would have to start working on her secondary path to power.

But first, she needed to placate Zarkon. And the best way to do that was to place all blame on herself.

"I am truly sorry for my mistakes, Sire," she told him in a properly apologetic tone. If they had been in his throne room or his private chambers, she would have prostrated before him as well. Unfortunately, there was not enough space in their current location. "I underestimated his obsession with the girl. I should have been more vigilant in keeping him from learning of her marriage. I will not make that mistake ever again."

"No, you won't," Zarkon agreed and she knew he was pleased with her apology. "In fact, if I find out you try to help him in any way that doesn't directly relate to helping _me_ ever again, you will share in all punishment for his failures. Is that clear, Haggar?"

"Yes, Sire," she acknowledged, noticing that he had purposely left out any mention of his participation in her plan. He'd conveniently "forgotten" the fact that she'd gotten his permission first. "You know my only purpose is serve you."

Zarkon laughed. "It better be, old witch." He turned and started to leave the communication chamber. "I'd hate to think that you were truly plotting against me. It would be...unfortunate if you were."

"Never, Your Majesty," she easily lied. "My loyalty is to no one but you."

"Good," Zarkon accepted, sounding satisfied. "Make sure it stays that way."

"Always, Sire," she pretended to promise.

Without another word, he left the chamber.

Pleased with her performance, she gave Coba one more pet before releasing him from her arms.

"Come, pussy cat. Let us watch Lotor make a fool of himself on Arus."

His failure to capture the queen should be entertaining to observe. 

((())) 

Allura rolled herself onto her back in yet another attempt to get comfortable and groaned when it didn't make a difference.

_Only three more weeks,_ she reminded herself as she pushed herself into a sitting position in the bed. _Three more weeks and this part will be over._

At thirty-seven weeks, she was literally only three weeks away from her projected due date and it couldn't get here fast enough. In the last two months, Sophie had experienced a rapid growth spurt and she was now so big that Allura had difficulty getting comfortable no matter where she was or what she was doing. With barely enough room left in the womb, she felt every one of Sophie's twists and turns. (And despite no longer having the space to do her gymnastics routines, kicking seemed to remain her favorite activity!) And to make things worse, now that she had moved into the head-down position, the pressure on Allura's bladder was constant. She'd never gone to the bathroom so many times in her life! (When she asked Keyat and Doctor Gorma if she should drink less because of this problem, they had scolded her! Water was essential for both her and Sophie's health.) As much as she loved Sophie, she desperately wanted her out of her body! 

"Sophie keeping you up?" came Keith's sleepy voice from beside her, sending a wave of guilt through her.

"Oh, Keith!" she profusely apologized. "I'm so sorry I woke you!"

He had always been a light sleeper and her constant movements woke him up repeatedly throughout the night. (He had the ability to wake up at the slightest change in his environment-a trait that had saved them numerous times from surprise middle of the night Doom attacks.) She felt horrible about it and had suggested more than once that he sleep somewhere else until after Sophie was born, but he had told her again and again that he didn't mind. That his interrupted sleep was worth it to be near her. (That was why over a month ago, she had come up with the solution of temporarily moving into her parents' chambers. As hard as it was for her to be in there among their belongings, their bed was three times the size of the one she and Keith currently shared. If he had any hope of sleeping through the night while she tossed and turned, her parents' bed would be it. Unfortunately, it hadn't made the difference she thought it would.) But Allura knew that it was very important that he be well rested. He was juggling the duel responsibilities of being king and the Voltron commander. He couldn't afford to be tired and unfocused.

Especially not now when Lotor could come after her at any time...

She had been spoiled by his months-long absence. There had been no attacks, no threats against her people, and no attempts to abduct her again. It had been so easy to pretend that there was no war with Doom. And she herself had never been happier.

Being married to the man she loved and knowing that the baby she was carrying had come from the love they shared...

But it could now all come to an end at any moment.

Her greatest fear was what Lotor would do when he learned that her baby wasn't his.

If he hurt Sophie in any way...

But hopefully he wouldn't get the chance to come anywhere near either her or Sophie. First thing in the morning, she, Romelle, Nanny, Auntie, and Larmina were to go into the caves. Normally, she hated the idea of going into hiding, but it truly was the only way to make sure Lotor couldn't hurt Sophie. (As far as anyone knew, no one on Doom knew anything about the extensive Arusian cave system. She should be safer there than anywhere else on Arus.) She wished she didn't have to go so soon (Lotor wasn't scheduled to arrive back on Doom until tomorrow and Keith was certain he wouldn't come to Arus for at least another day), but she had agreed to keep the peace. (Auntie and Nanny had been adamant that she go _before_ there was even a chance of an attack.) At least she'd be able to stay in touch with everyone in the castle. She couldn't be there in person, but she could be kept informed about what was going on. 

"Don't worry about it," Keith assured her, pushing himself into a sitting position beside her. "I'm more concerned about you. How do you feel?"

"Besides tired and bulky?" she quipped. "I'm all right. I just can't get comfortable no matter which way I lay. And Sophie's not even doing anything right now! She's just so big! I honestly don't know how I'm going to survive the next three weeks! Why can't she just be born now?"

It was bad enough that she was going to be trapped down in the caves for most likely the rest of her pregnancy. But to be trapped and so uncomfortable at the same time... 

Keith chuckled and he pulled her into his arms.

"You've made it this far," he reminded her. "What's another few weeks?"

"An eternity!" she declared. "You try doing anything at all with a belly this huge and see if you like it. She has to be the biggest baby ever!"

"Actually Doctor Gorma and Keyat say she's pretty petite," he corrected.

"Hey, you're supposed to agree with me and sympathize!" she mock-scolded him. "What kind of a husband are you anyway?"

"Sorry, my love," he playfully apologized. "I stand corrected. Sophie is the biggest baby in the entire history of babies. So what can I do to make you more comfortable so you can fall asleep despite carrying the biggest baby that ever was?"

She giggled. "That's much better. But I think I'm going to give up trying to sleep for a while. I'm going to read some more of that book Keyat gave me. It's very informative."

When she had entered the final month of her pregnancy over a week ago, Keyat had presented her with a book about the first year of a baby's life starting with the day of its birth. Reading it had eased a great deal of her fears and the worries that had been growing as her due date approached. It helped to know what to expect once Sophie entered the world.

"Okay," Keith said. "Let me go turn on the lights for you."

"No, don't do that," she told him. "You need to go back to sleep. You have another busy day tomorrow. I'm going to go read in the common area. That's where I left the book anyway."

"Why don't I go get it for you?" he suggested. "The lights won't keep me up and I'd rather you'd be as comfortable as you can be."

"I'll be fine on the couch," she insisted. "I promise. You honestly need your sleep more than I need mine, Keith. What do I do all day other than rest and run repeatedly to the bathroom? Sleep is a luxury I'm learning to live without. Believe me."

"You're sure?"

"Positive," she told him. She leaned in and gave him a kiss. "Go back to sleep, love. I'll see you in the morning."

She then eased out of his embrace and started making her way out of the bed. Her massive belly made even the smallest movements a big production. She slowly swung her legs so that they were hanging over the edge and then she started the complicated task of sitting up.

She felt Keith place his hands on her back and give her a gentle push to help her along.

"Thanks," she said. "Only three more weeks!" she added. 

"Three more weeks and we'll start flipping coins to see who has to get up first when she starts crying in the middle of the night," he teased. "Do you need me to help you stand up?"

"I've got it from here," she assured him as she pushed herself to her feet. 

She stayed by the bed for a moment, steadying herself. 

"Do you need your walker?"

"I think I can make it to the couch without it," she told him. "It's not very far, you know. Go back to sleep already!"

"As my queen commands."

Shaking her head, Allura started crossing the bedroom.

Her parents' chambers were the largest of the residential spaces in the Castle of Lions. The biggest area was the common room, which was where she had memories of her parents having casual meetings with friends and family. She remembered sitting between them on their large couch. There were three additional rooms, the two bedrooms and the bathroom. All four areas were connected. Because it was so big, it was located on a different level of the castle from the rest of the living areas.

She reached the bedroom door and turned back to look at her husband, who had already lay back down.

Smiling, she touched the door control and stepped into the common area.

As the door closed behind her, she was roughly grabbed from behind and a hand clamped over her mouth.

She started to scream for Keith and struggle. If only she'd kept her Voltcom with her!

"If you want me to spare the life of your beloved husband, you won't make a sound," Lotor's monstrous voice whispered into her ear.

She immediately froze.

_No! No! No! Oh, please no!_

How could this be happening? He wasn't supposed to be here! He wasn't even supposed to have arrived back on Doom yet! How was he on Arus? How had he found her in her parents' chambers? Why hadn't he been detected?

"Oh, Allura, you have no idea how much I've missed you," Lotor told her, kissing her neck. "I would have come for you sooner, my queen, but, well, I had to run an errand for my father. And since we can't be married without his participation... I'm sure you understand."

Allura started to silently cry.

What was she going to do? If she made a sound, he would kill Keith. If she tried to fight him, not only would he kill Keith, but Sophie could get hurt as well. But if she didn't do anything...

"I can't tell you how disappointed I am by your unfaithfulness," Lotor went on. "It was hurtful enough that you gave away your virginity. But to marry _him_? My most hated enemy? When you knew I was going to come for you? Why? What were you thinking?"

She knew better than to answer. Lotor had told her that if she made any noise that he would kill Keith. To save his life, she would remain silent.

_Oh, Keith..._

While she was surprised he hadn't been awoken by what was happening (her tossing and turning must have left him more exhausted than she'd thought), she was extremely grateful for it. Lotor would kill him the moment he emerged from the bedroom. He wouldn't have a chance to defend himself. So as much as she wished for him to rescue her from this nightmare, it was better that he slept through it. This was the only way for him to survive. 

And then he could come for her and Sophie later...

Or just Sophie if the worst came to pass... 

"I thought I had already taught you what happens when you are unfaithful to me," he sighed when she didn't respond. "I suppose I'll have to give you that lesson again. But not right away."

The arm that was wrapped across the front of her body loosened and his hand slid down until it was resting on her protruding belly. 

_Sophie..._

"I wouldn't want any unnecessary harm to come to our child," he went on as he started to caress her through her nightgown.

She fought the urge to pull away. She couldn't dare risk angering him. Not when Sophie's life was at stake.

As long as he believed she was his, she could keep her safe.

But after she was born...

"You have always been an incredibly beautiful woman, Allura," he continued, pressing a kiss to her ear. "But to see you full with my child... It enhances your beauty exponentially, my love. I will have to make sure I see you this way many, many more times."

Allura only cried harder, struggling to hold back any sounds.

There was no escape. The only way she could protect both Keith and Sophie was to go quietly with Lotor. Keith would know what happened when he eventually woke up and found her gone. But would he be able to rescue her before she was forced to marry Lotor?

If not...

"Now, come along before your husband wakes up and comes looking for you," Lotor said, his hand leaving her belly and his arm moving back to hold her securely against him. "I know how badly it would upset you if I had to end his life in front of your eyes. And you know how much I hate to see you-"

"Get away from my wife, Lotor!"

Lotor spun around to find Keith standing in the doorway of the second bedroom, his two Voltcom swords held at the ready.

Allura wanted to call to him, to tell him to stay back for his own sake.

"Let her go right now," Keith demanded.

Lotor simply laughed. "As if I would ever do anything you say! If you think that then you're a bigger fool then I ever thought possible, Commander. Allura is _mine._ She was destined to belong to me from the moment I saw her. She will be _my_ queen. Why would I ever give her back to you? Because you sullied her body and took her as your wife?" 

"I'm the father of her baby," Keith informed him, shocking Allura.

_No! What have you done?_

Why would he say that? He'd just taken away the only protection she'd had for Sophie! Now Lotor wouldn't care if...

To her surprise, Lotor did not explode.

"Is that so?" he calmly responded. "A pity. But no matter. Now that I know how fertile my beloved is, it won't take long for her to bear my child. If you let us leave right now, I'll consider letting this one live. I have no use for a whelp that isn't of my line. Normally, I would kill it at birth, but..."

"You harm either my wife or my daughter and you won't live to regret it," Keith said in a very low voice. "I'm warning you, Lotor. Let her go now."

"A daughter?" Lotor echoed. He then made a sound of disgust. "Now I truly don't care that it isn't mine. I need a son that I can groom to follow in my footsteps. I have no use for a girl child. Perhaps if you lay down your weapons, I'll think about sending her back to Arus so you can raise her. If I allow you to live, that is."

"Neither she nor Allura are going anywhere with you," Keith reiterated. "I'm only going to say this one last time: let her go."

"Or what?" Lotor shot back. "You really think you can attack me without causing Allura or her child any harm? You're bluffing, Commander. You wouldn't dare risk harming either one of them and you know you'll do more than that if you come at me with those swords of yours. But in case that isn't clear enough to you..." 

He released his hold on Allura and reached down to retrieve his gun, which he then pressed against Allura's belly. 

Unable to help herself and despite the hand covering her mouth, Allura began pleading wildly for him to leave Sophie alone. 

"It's set for stun, but I can't promise you that it won't have a fatal effect on your unborn child," Lotor casually explained. "It's never been tried before, you see. There's no telling what it would do to her. But, please, if you'd like to find out, by all means take even one step forward."

Without any hesitation, Keith lowered the swords.

"Allura, I'm-"

Lotor cut him off with a harsh laugh. "You are a weak and compassionate fool, Commander. And _that_ is why you'll never defeat me. So say your goodbyes and then _my_ queen and I will be on our way."

"You won't get away with this," Keith told him as he dissipated the swords. 

"But haven't I already?" Lotor pressed as he started dragging Allura with him. "Allura and I will be married as soon as I arrive back on Doom and then she will truly be mine. You won't-"

Lotor suddenly let out a pained sound and Allura found herself being flung away from him.

Terrified that Sophie would be injured when she hit the floor, she closed her eyes and braced for impact.

Instead, she found herself being caught by the familiar strong arms of her husband.

"Keith!" she sobbed as he pulled her close, confused but not caring why Lotor had let her go.

"Get off of me, you vermin!" Lotor snarled and Allura looked up to see four of her space mice friends clamped onto Lotor's arms by their teeth.

As Lotor attempted to shake the cybernetic creatures off of him, Keith helped Allura to her feet.

"Get out of here!" Keith urged her. "Get-"

He was cut off as Lotor let out a roar and, to her horror, starting grabbing her friends one by one and throwing them across the room.

She cried out as their small forms hit the floor one by one.

"My friends!"

"I grow tired of this foolishness, Allura," Lotor said, unsheathing his sword. "You either come with me willingly right now and I spare your beloved husband or I run him through right before your eyes. The choice is yours. What will it be?"

"You'll kill him no matter what I choose," she spat at him, gently breaking out of Keith's arms so she could stand tall as she defied him. If she had her Voltcom, she would have summoned her bow and aimed an arrow at his heart. "You'd never let him live! You're a liar! I hate you and I'll never be yours!" 

Lotor heaved a sigh. "I suppose I'll have to do this the hard way. All right, Allura, so be it. I gave you a chance to be reasonable, but you threw it away. Now watch as I put an end to the unworthy commoner who you chose over me."

Giving a battle cry, he launched himself at Keith. 

((())) 

As Allura screamed, Keith barely activated one of his swords in time to block Lotor's attack. The force of the blow against his blade was greater than anything he'd ever experienced before in his many duels with Lotor and it told him all he needed to know:

Lotor was out for his blood.

He intended to kill him and unlike their other duels where Lotor found ways to escape by cheating, he wasn't going to stop until one of them was dead. 

Before Keith could make a counter-attack, Lotor pulled his arm back and viciously swung at him again, beginning a furious assault that he struggled to defend himself from. He came at him again and again, so fast that Keith was unable to do anything but block each swing. Each hit forced him to take a step backwards.

If something didn't change and he was unable to get the upper hand, he knew he didn't stand a chance. Lotor _would_ kill him.

And, unfortunately, Lotor currently held the advantage. Not only was the Drule bigger and stronger than he was, but by relentlessly keeping Keith on the defensive, he prevented him from seeing where he was going in these unfamiliar surroundings. Because he and Allura had only moved into these chambers for the purpose of sleeping, he had not spent enough time in them to memorize the layout. He had no idea where Lotor was directing him. All he had to do was back him into a wall or into a corner and then...

He bumped into something hard but short enough to tell him that it wasn't a wall. When Lotor swung at him, he allowed himself to fall backwards onto whatever he had run into, which turned out to be a table. 

Using Lotor's surprise at his move to his advantage, he kicked out with his legs and knocked Lotor back while he jumped to his feet.

"Clever," Lotor commented as he recovered from the unexpected maneuver. "You have always been a worthy opponent. I will miss fighting you, but I can't have you around to distract my queen. It is the only way to make sure she learns to love me and only me."

"She'll never love you," Keith countered as he started moving around the table. The more distance between him and Lotor the better. "Why is that so hard for you to understand?" 

He quickly scanned the room for Allura and saw her crawling along the floor.

_Good,_ he thought. _Get out of here, my love. Get to safety._

"You underestimate how persuasive I can be," Lotor told him, starting to come back towards him and thankfully unaware of Allura's movements. "It won't be long before she can't live without my touch."

"You're delusional," Keith shot back, lifting his sword as he positioned himself next to a wooden chair. (It looked light enough that he could use it as an additional weapon if needed.) He knew Allura's best chance to escape was to make sure all of Lotor's attention stayed focused on him, which wouldn't be hard since Lotor was intent on killing him. "You don't know the first thing about what Allura wants and needs. It'll take a lot more than you're capable of to ever win the heart of someone like her. She's too good for you."

Lotor laughed aloud. "But not for you? You, a mere pilot? A commoner? I think it is you who is the delusional one, Commander."

The "commoner" comment caught Keith's attention. In fact, it was the second time he'd referred to him that way. Apparently, he hadn't heard about Keith's noble lineage.

If anything could rile Lotor up, it would be hearing that his most hated enemy wasn't as beneath him as he thought.

"You think Allura would have been allowed to marry me if I was a commoner?" he spoke up. "I'll have you know that I'm as noble as you are, Your Highness. I'm descended from the Knights of Arus."

To his dismay, Lotor did not explode with rage.

"The Knights of Arus?" he questioned, sounding puzzled. "Is that name supposed to mean something to me? I've never heard of it before in my life."

_Damn it!_ Keith silently cursed the failed ploy. It was disappointing that he didn't get the hoped for reaction, but at least Lotor was still paying attention to nothing but him. He had yet to notice Allura's slow movements across the floor. 

"I suppose it must mean something to the weakling people of Arus, but your supposed nobility doesn't change a thing," Lotor continued as he came nearer to his position. "You are still less than royal. And Allura should be with someone as royal as she is.

"It is time for you to die, Commander. I only wish I had the luxury of making it as slow and painful as you deserve."

"Go ahead and try," Keith challenged, knowing the attack was going to come at any second. "I dare you."

Lotor gave another battle cry and flew at Keith, who was ready for him.

He kicked up the chair and sent it directly at Lotor, who easily sliced through it with his sword.

Without missing a beat, Lotor continued to run at him. 

Keith's sword was already in position when Lotor's clashed against it, leading to another relentless series of slashes that drove Keith back once again.

But this time he knew _exactly_ where he was going.

Keith let Lotor push him back until they reached the main sitting area and the large couch that dominated the space.

Waiting until Lotor pulled his arm back, he did a back flip onto the couch and when he landed, he swung out his sword and sliced into Lotor's shoulder.

Lotor roared in pain and blindly slashed out in Keith's direction.

But Keith had already moved out of the way, jumping off of the couch and heading back towards the rear of the room.

Allura, he had noticed, had almost made it to the sitting area. He needed to keep Lotor as far away from her as possible.

Lotor, enraged by the unexpected injury, charged after him.

((())) 

Allura forced herself to keep moving and not look at the battle taking place behind her. In her right hand, she clutched the gun Lotor had dropped when her friends had attacked him. She had to get out of the room and get help.

She didn't know how long Keith could hold out.

If she didn't bring help in time...

She refused to entertain that thought. Keith _would_ survive.

He _had_ to. They had just begun their life together. They had so many wonderful years ahead. 

If only she could move faster! But her bulky body slowed her down and prevented her from crawling as fast as she wanted. 

The large couch loomed ahead. All she had to do was crawl around it and she had a straight shot at the door. If Keith could keep Lotor's attention away from the door, maybe she could get to her feet and make a run for it.

But a sudden cry of pain froze her in place.

_Keith! Oh gods, Keith!_

((())) 

Lotor smiled as Keith hunched over and clutched the fresh gash in his left side.

He had scored a hit when the overconfident human had tried to charge him.

"I believe we're coming to the conclusion of this foolish exercise," he told him. "I'll put an end to you and then my queen and I will return home to Doom. You should have said your goodbyes when you had the chance."

"This isn't over yet," Keith managed to say, slowly straightening up to his full height despite the blood flowing from his wound. "You're still standing."

Lotor laughed out loud. "You actually believe you can defeat me? Fool! I've already won this fight. You're just too stupid to realize it yet."

Keith raised his sword, but Lotor could see that he was rapidly weakening.

Killing him at this point was almost going to be too easy.

"Goodbye, Commander. I won't spare you a thought while making love to _my_ wife."

Forgoing his customary battle cry, he charged straight at Keith, his sword extended to run him through.

Keith tried to sidestep the attack, but in his weakened state was too slow and took a deep slash to his other side.

This time, he fell to the floor.

He didn't move.

A scream from behind him pulled his attention away from the clearly dying man.

He turned around to see his beloved, tears streaming down her face and his own gun in her hands.

And it was pointed straight at him.

((())) 

_No, no, no, no, no!!!!!!!!!! This can't be happening!!!!!!!!_

A pain unlike anything she had ever experienced before engulfed her entire being.

"Keith!!!!!!" she wailed, wanting to do nothing more than run to his side. "You-you-you killed him!!!!! You-you monster!!!!! You killed Keith!!!!"

The evil murderer simply smiled. "Of course I did, my love. There was really no other choice. After all, he was the one obstacle in the way of our complete happiness. Letting him live was never really an option." 

He sheathed his sword, which was dripping with Keith's blood, and started coming towards her.

"Now, c-"

"D-don't move!" she cut him off, her hands shaking. "You stay back! Stay away from me!"

She knew that if Lotor got anywhere near her, then everything was truly over. She couldn't let him take her.

She'd rather die herself.

But she _had_ to live-for Sophie. 

Her precious daughter that would now never know her father.

Lotor only smiled wider and kept moving towards her.

"Stop being such a silly girl," he said. "Now put down that gun at once and we can be on our way."

"I'm never going anywhere with you, you monster!" she cried. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"

Stopping, Lotor heaved a sigh. "Must we always have this same tired conversation? Yes, yes, I'm a monster and you hate me. Go ahead then. Get it out of your system. It changes nothing, Allura. You are coming with me and you are going to be my queen."

"Never! Stay right there! I-I'll shoot if you come any closer!"

And she meant it. For the first time in her life, she wanted to inflict pain on another living being. Lotor had taken away the man she loved, the father of her unborn daughter. And he had _enjoyed_ every moment of it.

For that alone, he deserved to die.

"Is this because of what I said I was going to do to your child?" Lotor casually questioned, starting towards her again. "Of course I'm not going to harm your daughter, my love. I only said those things for your late husband's benefit. She will be raised as a princess of Doom, never wanting for anything. True, she cannot ever be queen, but-"

"Stay back!" she ordered, a fresh wave of pain hitting her as he spoke the words "late husband." "I told you to stay away from me! I'm never going with you! I want you to leave! Leave, Lotor! Leave or I'll shoot!"

Lotor laughed. "You don't have it in you, my love."

She pulled the trigger and an energy bolt flew across the room.

But the combination of her badly shaking hands and her tear-filled vision caused her aim to be completely off. The bolt's path took it nowhere near Lotor and it hit against the far wall. 

Lotor stopped and smirked. "I have to say I'm impressed, Allura. I honestly didn't think you had it in you. You've always been a woman more of words than actions. I've never been happier to admit that I was wrong. You truly are-"

She fired again, this time not even trying to aim.

As before, the blast passed nowhere close to the monster.

Lotor's smile grew even wider. "I'll have to see to it that you receive lessons in the proper use of a gun. But not right away, of course. Perhaps after you are settled into your new life as my queen I will make the arrangements."

"I'll never be your queen!" she informed him. "Never! Go away and leave me alone! I don't ever want to see you again! You killed Keith!"

"His death was necessary," he bluntly told her. "He had to die so we could begin our lives together. One day I promise you'll understand and then we'll laugh about this silly gun nonsense."

"He was the only man I ever loved!" she retorted, the pain of her loss overwhelming her. "I will never love anyone ever again! Especially not you!"

Lotor made an annoyed sound. "You will put the gun down now, Allura! I have had enough of this unbecoming behavior! You are to be my queen and you need to start acting as such."

She pulled the trigger again and this time she was able to hit exactly where she was aiming: the floor in front of his feet.

"Stay away from me," she repeated. "I want you to leave! Go away now! Leave!"

She could see his anger building. "I said I've had enough!" 

He started coming towards her again. "Put-"

She pulled the trigger.

Again and again and again.

By the time the gun was out of charge, Lotor was lying on the ground in a heap.

Shocked by what she had just done, Allura gave a strangled cry and dropped the gun.

"Keith..."

She hurried over to where he had fallen and dropped down to the ground beside him.

She pulled him into her arms and began to sob.

((())) 

"Allura? Hey, Allura? Wake up, love."

Allura slowly awoke from her sleep and blinked her eyes open.

Keith was crouched beside her rocking chair.

"Taking advantage of Sophie's nap time?" he asked with a smile.

"I'm just following Keyat's advice," she answered with a smile of her own, looking down at the sleeping month-old baby in her arms. They had both fallen asleep after Sophie had finished nursing. "I need to get as much rest as I can and the best time to do it is when this one is sleeping herself."

She looked back up and took a moment to study his face. His complexion was still paler than normal, but he was looking so much better than he had in the weeks since his miraculous survival. She had been so convinced that he was dead that she hadn't believed Sven when he'd announced he'd found a weak pulse after he and the others had arrived at the royal quarters. (Her friends had gone for help after Lotor had thrown them off of him. They'd woken Pidge first and he was the one who awakened the others. They'd all followed the space mice to where Keith and Allura were.) It wasn't until she had seen him connected to life support machines that she'd realized he wasn't gone. He had suffered massive blood loss thanks to the deep injuries Lotor had inflicted on him and it had taken several transfusions to bring his blood volume to a normal level. Surprisingly, Coran had turned out to be the perfect match. Doctor Gorma had kept him confined to the infirmary for over a week before finally releasing him with instructions to take it easy for several more weeks. Keith had spent most of that time in bed. The only time he'd left was when Allura had gone into labor and he'd been put in his own bed next to hers in the infirmary for the duration. (It had been a very long labor! Sophie had taken her time to enter the world.) He had only just regained enough strength two weeks ago to move around unaided. 

"Which of course isn't at night," he commented, gently caressing Sophie's cheek with a single finger.

"Of course," she agreed. "Gods forbid that she goes one night without keeping us up with her."

"Keyat promises she'll grow out of it," he reminded her. "Of course, it won't be for several more months, but it will happen."

"Promises, promises," Allura sighed. "I honestly don't remember how it feels to have a full night's sleep."

"It'll happen," Keith assured her. "Oh, I have some good news for you," he changed the subject. "The Alliance and Zarkon have finally reached an agreement."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "They have? I can't believe it!"

After Lotor's death, Coran reached out to the other members of the Alliance that had been formed over a year ago at the summit meeting held on Arus. Knowing that Zarkon would want his son's body back, Coran had proposed that they use the return of the body as the means of forming a treaty of sorts with Doom. If Zarkon would agree to leave all member planets in the Alliance, including Arus, alone from now on, they would return Lotor's body to him. 

At first, Zarkon had refused to even speak with them, claiming he didn't care that his "nitwit, imbecilic, and incompetent son" had died. But as time passed, the Drule people started insisting that Lotor deserved a proper royal funeral and Zarkon knew he had to give them what they wanted if he wanted to keep what _he_ wanted-his throne. So he had finally agreed to open negotiations. (From what they'd heard, Haggar had been very instrumental in convincing him to negotiate.) Coran and Romelle, taking Allura's place while she cared for both her husband and newborn baby, represented the Alliance and proposed the very simple exchange: the body for peace.

"Zarkon is under a lot of pressure from his people," Keith explained. "He honestly doesn't care what happens to Lotor's remains. But from what our spies have heard, there are several militant groups on Zarkon's empire who preferred Lotor to Zarkon and are threatening to take over Doom in Lotor's name if he isn't brought home. So he's finally agreed to most if not all of our conditions. And the ones he refused to meet can be worked around if we have to."

Overwhelmed by the realization that the long war with Doom was finally coming to an end, she leaned back in the rocking chair and closed her eyes.

_Peace! There's actually going to be peace!_

She had dreamed of freedom for her people for so long that it was hard to believe it was finally theirs.

For them to be able to live each day without fear of attack or capture...

To know that they and their families were truly _safe_... 

Her and Keith's children would be part of the first generation in a long time to grow up without war.

She felt Keith take her hand and she opened her eyes again.

"This is really happening, my love," he told her. "Arus is going to be free. And so are a lot of other worlds."

"It almost doesn't seem real," she said. "After all of this time... I have no words."

He leaned in and kissed her. "And it's all thanks to you, my queen. If you hadn't stopped Lotor the way you did..."

Despite knowing that Lotor had been an evil monster, she still felt a wave of guilt for having taken his life. She hated herself for having killed. (One of the reasons she had never hesitated shooting in battle was that she knew that all of Zarkon's soldiers were robots. No enemy lives were being lost.) She had been raised to believe that killing was wrong and until that moment, she had never considered the possibility that she would ever have to.

"I thought you were dead," she murmured. "That he had killed you. And I couldn't... I couldn't... If it weren't for Sophie..."

"I'm still here," he reassured her, kissing her again. "And I don't plan on going anywhere. I'm yours forever, my queen."

"As I'm forever yours," she replied. "I love you so much, Keith. I don't know if I could have gone on without you."

"You're much stronger than you realize, Allura," he said. "You need to believe in yourself more."

"Thank you," she smiled. "You always know the right thing to say."

Between them, Sophie gave a big yawn.

"Uh-oh, someone's waking up from her nap," Keith teasingly said. "Would you like me to take her while you make your escape?"

"That's all right," she waved him off. "There's no other place I'd rather be than with the two of you."

"The same here," Keith agreed. "When I'm with my two beautiful girls, I'm the happiest man in the world."

"I love you," she repeated.

"I love you too, my love," he said, kissing her again. "And you too, my Sophie." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

At that moment, Sophie became fully awake and started to cry.

Allura readjusted her hold on her daughter and pulled her closer against her body.

"There, there, little one," she crooned as she rocked her. "Mommy's got you. It's all right. Mommy's here."

Sophie continued to cry.

Keith placed his hand against Sophie's diaper.

"I think I know what the problem is," he informed her.

Allura smiled up at him while continuing to rock Sophie.

"Well, she did just have a big meal before her nap."

"I'll take care of it," Keith offered, holding out his arms. 

Allura gently passed their daughter to him.

"Thank you," she said as she got to her feet.

Keith carried the crying Sophie over to the changing table, Allura following.

"Okay, baby, everything's going to be okay," he spoke to the little girl. "You're just a little dirty, that's all. Daddy's going to take care of that right now."

He laid her down on the table and Allura moved to stand beside him.

"Are you still sure about being the happiest man in the world?" she teased him as he started removing the soiled and smelly diaper.

"I'm beginning to reconsider," he joked as he pulled it off of her.

Sophie immediately stopped her crying and started kicking her legs while making a cooing noise.

"I believe she's feeling better," Keith announced, picking up the diaper.

"Too bad it won't always be so easy," she quipped and Keith smiled.

As he went to throw it away, Allura took over and began putting Sophie in a clean one.

When he came back, he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Those better be clean," she lightly threatened.

"What are you doing to do about it if they're not?" he shot back, turning her around to face him.

"I'll have to think about it."

"I love you, Allura."

"I love you too," she answered.

And then he kissed her.

  
  
  


**The End**


End file.
